Schema

What is a Schema?

A schema is like a blueprint for your data. It defines the structure and rules for the data that will be stored in your database. Think of it as a recipe in a cookbook. Just as a recipe specifies the ingredients and steps needed to create a dish, a schema specifies the fields and data types required for your database entries.

For example, if you have a schema for a "User" in your application, it might define that each user should have a name (as a string), an email (as a string), and an age (as a number). This ensures that all user data follows the same structure, making it easier to manage and query the database.

Creating a Schema

Creating a schema involves defining the structure and rules for the data that will be stored in your database. This includes specifying the fields, their data types, and any additional constraints or relationships between different schemas.

Let's start with a simple example of creating a schema for a "User" collection. This schema will define that each user should have a name (as a string) and an email (as a string).

import { string, createSchema } from "monarch-orm";
 
const UserSchema = createSchema("users", {
  name: string(),
  email: string(),
});

Available Schema Types

Here are the available schema types you can use:

• string(): Represents a string value.
• number(): Represents a numeric value.
• boolean(): Represents a boolean value.
• date(): Represents a JavaScript Date object.
• dateString(): Represents date strings in ISO format.
• objectId(): Represents a MongoDB ObjectId.
• array(type): Represents an array of the specified type.
• object(schema): Represents a nested object with a defined schema.
• record(type): Represents a flexible object with string keys and values of the specified type.
• tuple([type1, type2, ...]): Represents a tuple (array with a fixed number of elements of specific types).
• literal(...values): Represents a field that can only accept one of the specified literal values (similar to an enum).
• taggedUnion({[tagName: string]: object({...})}): Represents a field which contains an object distinguished by a common tag.
• union(type1, type2, ...): Represents a field that can accept multiple different types.
• pipe(type1, type2): Chains two types together, applying the transformations and validations of both.
• mixed(): Represents a field that can accept any type of value. Use sparingly.
• type(parser, updater?): The base type constructor. Allows you to create custom types with custom parsing and update logic. Should be used with extreme care

For more details, check out the Schema Types Documentation.

Default Id

When you create a schema using monarch-orm, an _id field is automatically added to each document in your collection. This field serves as a unique identifier for each entry, ensuring that every record can be distinctly referenced. The _id field is crucial for operations such as querying, updating, and deleting documents, as it allows you to efficiently manage and interact with your data.