Suggestion: Add Optional Validation To Prevent Future Dates In DateFields Used In Blog-like Pages

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Preventing Future Dates in DateFields: A Proposal for Wagtail

As a developer working with Wagtail, a popular content management system (CMS) built on top of Django, I recently encountered an issue that highlights the importance of validation in DateFields. During user testing, I discovered that Wagtail allows users to input and publish pages with dates in the future, which can lead to unintended behavior in CMS contexts. In this article, we'll explore the problem, propose a solution, and discuss alternatives.

During user testing, I created a custom page type, BlogPage, with a models.DateField. I then input a date in the future (e.g., 2026-10-08) and published the page. To my surprise, the page was published immediately, even though the date was far in the future. This behavior may seem acceptable in a technical sense, but it can be misleading to editors or content creators, especially if the date is displayed on the site and suggests content that hasn't been written yet.

Scheduled Publishing and Editorial Attention

In CMS contexts, a future publication date usually implies scheduled publishing or requires extra editorial attention. By allowing users to input and publish pages with future dates, Wagtail may inadvertently lead to content being published prematurely or without proper review. This can result in inaccurate dates being displayed on the site, which can be confusing for users and undermine the credibility of the content.

To address this issue, I propose an optional validation mechanism or configuration to restrict future dates in DateFields. This feature would be particularly useful for common use cases like blogs, news articles, and events. Here are some possible implementation options:

  • Default validation toggle: A default validation toggle (allow_future_dates=False) could be added at the field or page level. This would allow developers and content managers to choose whether future dates are valid for their use case.
  • Documentation example: A documentation example on how to restrict future dates using clean() or Panel hooks could be provided. This would enable developers to implement custom validation logic if needed.

Before proposing a solution, I considered several alternatives:

  • Custom validation in clean() method: Adding custom validation to the clean() method of the model is a viable option, but it requires extra effort for each developer.
  • Using the Wagtail scheduling system: The Wagtail scheduling system is separate from the page content's date field. While it provides a way to schedule publishing, it may not address the issue of future dates being input and published.
  • Accepting this as intended behavior: Accepting this as intended behavior may seem like a viable option, but it can confuse users and result in content showing with inaccurate dates.

This issue was discovered as part of my manual test case (creating a blog post with a future date) in a Wagtail 5.2.1 + Django 5.2 environment. The result was that the page published normally, despite the future date. In my test plan, this was marked as a failed case because the behavior did not match editorial expectations.

I'm not planning to work on this feature myself, but I'm happy to test any proposed solutions or contribute feedback during development. If you're interested in contributing to this feature, please let me know, and we can discuss the implementation details.

Preventing future dates in DateFields is an important feature for Wagtail, particularly for common use cases like blogs, news articles, and events. By implementing an optional validation mechanism or configuration, developers and content managers can choose whether future dates are valid for their use case. I hope this proposal sparks a discussion and leads to a solution that addresses this issue.
Frequently Asked Questions: Preventing Future Dates in DateFields

A: Allowing future dates in DateFields can lead to unintended behavior in CMS contexts, where a future publication date usually implies scheduled publishing or requires extra editorial attention. This can result in inaccurate dates being displayed on the site, which can be confusing for users and undermine the credibility of the content.

A: In CMS contexts, a future publication date is often used to schedule publishing or indicate that content is not yet ready for publication. By allowing users to input and publish pages with future dates, Wagtail may inadvertently lead to content being published prematurely or without proper review.

A: Editors or content creators may be misled by future dates being displayed on the site, suggesting that content has not been written yet. This can lead to confusion and undermine the credibility of the content.

A: The proposed solution is to implement an optional validation mechanism or configuration to restrict future dates in DateFields. This feature would be particularly useful for common use cases like blogs, news articles, and events.

A: The validation mechanism could be implemented as a default validation toggle (allow_future_dates=False) at the field or page level. Alternatively, a documentation example on how to restrict future dates using clean() or Panel hooks could be provided.

A: Some alternatives to implementing a validation mechanism include:

  • Adding custom validation to the clean() method of the model
  • Using the Wagtail scheduling system
  • Accepting this as intended behavior

A: While these alternatives may seem viable, they have limitations. Adding custom validation to the clean() method requires extra effort for each developer, and using the Wagtail scheduling system may not address the issue of future dates being input and published. Accepting this as intended behavior can confuse users and result in content showing with inaccurate dates.

A: I am not planning to work on this feature myself, but I am happy to test any proposed solutions or contribute feedback during development. If you are interested in contributing to this feature, please let me know, and we can discuss the implementation details.

A: If you are interested in contributing to this feature, please let me know, and we can discuss the implementation details. You can also test any proposed solutions or provide feedback during development.