From e7d1f4d01f37cfa30347ce3d9e93975abd474fcb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Bobby <30593201+luciferreeves@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2026 15:26:20 +0530
Subject: feat: enhance user feedback with specific error messages for
 registration and validation

---
 shrine/controllers/auth.go |  7 +++++++
 shrine/models/user.go      | 20 ++++++++++----------
 2 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/shrine/controllers/auth.go b/shrine/controllers/auth.go
index 1e49b37..fc14d2a 100644
--- a/shrine/controllers/auth.go
+++ b/shrine/controllers/auth.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package controllers
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"shrine/enums"
+	"strings"
 	"shrine/models"
 	"shrine/repositories"
 	"shrine/types"
@@ -32,6 +33,12 @@ func RegisterController(context *fiber.Ctx) error {
 	}
 
 	if err := repositories.CreateUser(&user); err != nil {
+		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "users.username") {
+			return BadRequest(context, errors.New("An account with that username already exists."))
+		}
+		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "users.email") {
+			return BadRequest(context, errors.New("An account with that email address already exists."))
+		}
 		return BadRequest(context, err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/shrine/models/user.go b/shrine/models/user.go
index fa4a2f9..96a181f 100644
--- a/shrine/models/user.go
+++ b/shrine/models/user.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package models
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
+	"errors"
 	"shrine/enums"
 	"shrine/types"
 	"shrine/utils/validators"
@@ -45,10 +45,10 @@ type User struct {
 
 func (user *User) SetPassword(password string) error {
 	if len(password) < 8 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("password must be at least 8 characters")
+		return errors.New("Password must be at least 8 characters.")
 	}
 	if len(password) > 255 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("password must be at most 255 characters")
+		return errors.New("Password must be at most 255 characters.")
 	}
 	hash, err := bcrypt.GenerateFromPassword([]byte(password), bcrypt.DefaultCost)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -127,23 +127,23 @@ func (user *User) BeforeCreate(tx *gorm.DB) error {
 
 	if !bypassUsername {
 		if !validators.IsValidUsername(user.Username, 3) {
-			return fmt.Errorf("username must be 3-32 characters, alphanumeric and underscores only")
+			return errors.New("Username must be 3-32 characters and can only contain letters, numbers, and underscores.")
 		}
 		if validators.IsReservedUsername(user.Username) {
-			return fmt.Errorf("username is reserved")
+			return errors.New("This username is not available.")
 		}
 	}
 
 	if !validators.IsValidEmail(user.Email) {
-		return fmt.Errorf("invalid email format")
+		return errors.New("Please enter a valid email address.")
 	}
 
 	if len(strings.TrimSpace(user.DisplayName)) < 1 || len(strings.TrimSpace(user.DisplayName)) > 50 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("display name must be between 1 and 50 characters")
+		return errors.New("Display name must be between 1 and 50 characters.")
 	}
 
 	if user.PasswordHash == "" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("password is required")
+		return errors.New("Password is required.")
 	}
 
 	user.Email = strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(user.Email))
@@ -155,11 +155,11 @@ func (user *User) BeforeCreate(tx *gorm.DB) error {
 
 func (user *User) BeforeUpdate(tx *gorm.DB) error {
 	if !validators.IsValidEmail(user.Email) {
-		return fmt.Errorf("invalid email format")
+		return errors.New("Please enter a valid email address.")
 	}
 
 	if len(strings.TrimSpace(user.DisplayName)) < 1 || len(strings.TrimSpace(user.DisplayName)) > 50 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("display name must be between 1 and 50 characters")
+		return errors.New("Display name must be between 1 and 50 characters.")
 	}
 
 	user.Email = strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(user.Email))
-- 
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