Text Field

The Text Field component provides a single-line text input for collecting basic text data from users. It's the most commonly used field type for names, titles, and short text entries.

Basic Usage

With Placeholder

Required Field

Read-Only

Field Schema

A text field is authored as TextFieldMetadata (@object-ui/types), which is the source of truth for the key set: it extends BaseFieldMetadata with the text-specific validation keys. The length bounds are @objectstack/spec's own FieldSchema.minLength / maxLength, typed by reference; the snake_case min_length / max_length are retired, refused by the spec by name and read by nothing.

import type { TextFieldMetadata } from '@object-ui/types';

const productName: TextFieldMetadata = {
  type: 'text',
  name: 'product_name',
  label: 'Product Name',
  placeholder: 'Enter a product name',
  inlineHelpText: 'Shown on the storefront and in search results.',
  required: true,
  minLength: 2,
  maxLength: 120,
};

Format Validation

A regex check is declared on the object, not on the field. @objectstack/spec has a validation rule for it: an entry of the object definition's validations[] whose type is 'format'. For the field above it carries:

• name: the rule's own snake_case name, e.g. 'product_name_characters';
• field: the field it checks, 'product_name';
• regex: '^[A-Za-z0-9 -]+$'. It is not anchored for you, so write ^ and $ to match the whole value;
• message: 'Letters, digits, spaces and hyphens only.', the reason given when the value is refused.

The server runs the rule on every write that touches the field and refuses a non-empty value the regex does not match, with the rule's message. FieldSchema has no field-level pattern or pattern_message: it refuses both by name, and TextFieldMetadata refuses them at compile time.

The form does not pre-check this rule in the browser. A value that breaks it is refused when the record is saved, and the rule's message is the reason given.

The value being edited, and the className / disabled a host supplies, are not metadata keys — they are runtime widget props. See Field Widget Props.

Use Cases

• User Names: Collecting first names, last names, or usernames
• Titles: Post titles, document names, or product names
• Short Text: Any short text input that doesn't require multiple lines
• IDs: Custom identifiers or reference numbers

Cell Renderer

When used in data tables or grids, the text field is rendered as simple truncated text:

import { TextCellRenderer } from '@object-ui/fields';

// Automatically used for type: 'text' in grids/tables
// Displays value or '-' if empty