5 files changed, 66 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/modules/structs/admin_user.go b/modules/structs/admin_user.go
index eccbf29a46..2f6f502af6 100644
--- a/modules/structs/admin_user.go
+++ b/modules/structs/admin_user.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ type CreateUserOption struct {
 	SourceID  int64  `json:"source_id"`
 	LoginName string `json:"login_name"`
 	// required: true
-	Username string `json:"username" binding:"Required;AlphaDashDot;MaxSize(40)"`
+	Username string `json:"username" binding:"Required;Username;MaxSize(40)"`
 	FullName string `json:"full_name" binding:"MaxSize(100)"`
 	// required: true
 	// swagger:strfmt email
diff --git a/modules/validation/binding.go b/modules/validation/binding.go
index f08f632426..c054fbe7b6 100644
--- a/modules/validation/binding.go
+++ b/modules/validation/binding.go
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ const (
 
 	// ErrRegexPattern is returned when a regex pattern is invalid
 	ErrRegexPattern = "RegexPattern"
+
+	// ErrUsername is username error
+	ErrUsername = "UsernameError"
 )
 
 // AddBindingRules adds additional binding rules
@@ -34,6 +37,7 @@ func AddBindingRules() {
 	addGlobPatternRule()
 	addRegexPatternRule()
 	addGlobOrRegexPatternRule()
+	addUsernamePatternRule()
 }
 
 func addGitRefNameBindingRule() {
@@ -148,6 +152,22 @@ func addGlobOrRegexPatternRule() {
 	})
 }
 
+func addUsernamePatternRule() {
+	binding.AddRule(&binding.Rule{
+		IsMatch: func(rule string) bool {
+			return rule == "Username"
+		},
+		IsValid: func(errs binding.Errors, name string, val interface{}) (bool, binding.Errors) {
+			str := fmt.Sprintf("%v", val)
+			if !IsValidUsername(str) {
+				errs.Add([]string{name}, ErrUsername, "invalid username")
+				return false, errs
+			}
+			return true, errs
+		},
+	})
+}
+
 func portOnly(hostport string) string {
 	colon := strings.IndexByte(hostport, ':')
 	if colon == -1 {
diff --git a/modules/validation/helpers.go b/modules/validation/helpers.go
index 484b12b2a2..8e49c7855e 100644
--- a/modules/validation/helpers.go
+++ b/modules/validation/helpers.go
@@ -91,3 +91,15 @@ func IsValidExternalTrackerURLFormat(uri string) bool {
 
 	return true
 }
+
+var (
+	validUsernamePattern   = regexp.MustCompile(`^[\da-zA-Z][-.\w]*$`)
+	invalidUsernamePattern = regexp.MustCompile(`[-._]{2,}|[-._]$`) // No consecutive or trailing non-alphanumeric chars
+)
+
+// IsValidUsername checks if username is valid
+func IsValidUsername(name string) bool {
+	// It is difficult to find a single pattern that is both readable and effective,
+	// but it's easier to use positive and negative checks.
+	return validUsernamePattern.MatchString(name) && !invalidUsernamePattern.MatchString(name)
+}
diff --git a/modules/validation/helpers_test.go b/modules/validation/helpers_test.go
index f6f897e821..9bdbdb4a77 100644
--- a/modules/validation/helpers_test.go
+++ b/modules/validation/helpers_test.go
@@ -155,3 +155,34 @@ func Test_IsValidExternalTrackerURLFormat(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestIsValidUsername(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		arg  string
+		want bool
+	}{
+		{arg: "a", want: true},
+		{arg: "abc", want: true},
+		{arg: "0.b-c", want: true},
+		{arg: "a.b-c_d", want: true},
+		{arg: "", want: false},
+		{arg: ".abc", want: false},
+		{arg: "abc.", want: false},
+		{arg: "a..bc", want: false},
+		{arg: "a...bc", want: false},
+		{arg: "a.-bc", want: false},
+		{arg: "a._bc", want: false},
+		{arg: "a_-bc", want: false},
+		{arg: "a/bc", want: false},
+		{arg: "☁️", want: false},
+		{arg: "-", want: false},
+		{arg: "--diff", want: false},
+		{arg: "-im-here", want: false},
+		{arg: "a space", want: false},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.arg, func(t *testing.T) {
+			assert.Equalf(t, tt.want, IsValidUsername(tt.arg), "IsValidUsername(%v)", tt.arg)
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/modules/web/middleware/binding.go b/modules/web/middleware/binding.go
index 636e655b9e..cced9717be 100644
--- a/modules/web/middleware/binding.go
+++ b/modules/web/middleware/binding.go
@@ -135,6 +135,8 @@ func Validate(errs binding.Errors, data map[string]interface{}, f Form, l transl
 				data["ErrorMsg"] = trName + l.Tr("form.glob_pattern_error", errs[0].Message)
 			case validation.ErrRegexPattern:
 				data["ErrorMsg"] = trName + l.Tr("form.regex_pattern_error", errs[0].Message)
+			case validation.ErrUsername:
+				data["ErrorMsg"] = trName + l.Tr("form.username_error")
 			default:
 				msg := errs[0].Classification
 				if msg != "" && errs[0].Message != "" {