---
name: "sdml-validate"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "sdml"
version: "0.3.2+20250310-1+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sdml-validate"
---

# sdml-validate(1)

Validate that a module is correct.

## NAME

sdml validate - Validate that a module is correct.

## SYNOPSIS

**sdml** *validate* \[*OPTIONS*\] \[*MODULE*\]

## DESCRIPTION

Validate that a module is correct.

This command provides deep validation of a module's content, including errors, warnings, and linter-like advice. Checks are run not only on the initial module, but it's transitively loaded dependencies.

By default the command only shows diagnostics with severity \`bug\` and \`error\`, but \`warning\`, \`notes\`, and \`help\` can be output with the \`--level\` argument. This argument also takes the values \`none\` and \`all\`.

\`\`\`text ??? sdml validate **--level** all **-i** examples/errors/i0506.sdm note\[I0506\]: identifier not using preferred casing ?????? examples/errors/i0506.sdm:1:8 ??? 1 ??? module Example \<https://example.com/api\> is ???        ^^^^^^^ this identifier ??? = expected snake case (snake\_case) = help: for more details, see \<https://sdml.io/errors/#I0506\>

note\[I0506\]: identifier not using preferred casing ?????? examples/errors/i0506.sdm:3:13 ??? 3 ??? structure access\_record is ???             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ this identifier ??? = expected upper camel case (UpperCamelCase) = help: for more details, see \<https://sdml.io/errors/#I0506\> \`\`\`

The \`check-constraints\` option turns on (it's default is off) the checking of constraints for correctness.

Additionally, a \`short-form\` option will generate diagnostics using a CSV format that is easier for tools to parse. The fields in this format are: severity, file name, start line, start column, end line, end column, error code, and message.

\`\`\`text ??? sdml validate **--level** all **--short-form** **-i** examples/errors/i0506.sdm note,examples/errors/i0506.sdm,1,8,1,15,I0506,identifier not using preferred casing note,examples/errors/i0506.sdm,3,13,3,26,I0506,identifier not using preferred casing \`\`\`

### Arguments:

-

  \[MODULE\]

-

  SDML module, loaded using the standard resolver

## OPTIONS

**-l**, **--level** \<LEVEL\>

-

  \[default: warnings\]

-

  Possible values: - none:     Turn off reporting - bugs:     Implementation bugs - errors:   Module errors - warnings: Module warnings - notes:    Module informational notes - help:     Style and other help - all:      Turn it all on

**-c**, **--check-constraints**

-

  Enable the checking of constraints in the model

**-s**, **--short-form**

-

  Enable the short form (CSV) output

**-o**, **--output** \<OUTPUT\>

-

  File name to write to, or '-' to write to stdout

-

  \[default: **-\]**

**-i**, **--input** \<INPUT\>

-

  Input SDML file name to read from, or '-' to read from stdin

-

  \[default: **-\]**

**-h**, **--help**

-

  Print help (see a summary with '-h')

**-V**, **--version**

-

  Print version