add created_at and updated_at fields to mongoose schemas

Adding created_at and updated_at fields to Mongoose Schemas

Have you ever wanted to automatically add created_at and updated_at fields to your Mongoose schemas, without having to pass them in every time? 🤔

In this blog post, we'll address this common issue and provide you with easy solutions to effortlessly include these fields in your Mongoose schema. Let's dive in! 💪

The Problem

By default, Mongoose doesn't provide a built-in way to automatically add the created_at and updated_at fields to your schema. This means that, if you want to include these timestamps, you have to remember to set them manually every time you create or update a document. 😓

const ItemSchema = new Schema({
    name: { type: String, required: true, trim: true },
    created_at: { type: Date, required: true, default: Date.now },
});

👆 This example shows how you might attempt to add the created_at field, but it won't be added automatically.

The Solution

Fortunately, there's an easy solution to this problem! 🎉

Option 1: Use the timestamps option

Mongoose provides a handy timestamps option that you can include when defining your schema. When enabled, this option automatically adds the created_at and updated_at fields, which are set with the current date when creating or updating a document.

Here's how you can modify your schema to include the timestamps option:

const ItemSchema = new Schema({
    name: { type: String, required: true, trim: true },
}, { timestamps: true });

That's it! No more manual handling of created_at and updated_at timestamps. Mongoose will take care of it for you! 😎

Option 2: Use a pre-save hook

If you prefer more control over the process or need custom logic to handle the timestamps, you can use a pre-save hook. This allows you to execute code just before the document is saved. You can update the created_at and updated_at fields accordingly.

Here's an example of how you can implement this approach:

ItemSchema.pre('save', function (next) {
    const currentDate = new Date();
  
    this.updated_at = currentDate;
  
    if (!this.created_at) {
        this.created_at = currentDate;
    }
  
    next();
});

This code ensures that the updated_at field is always set to the current date. Additionally, if the created_at field is not set, it sets it as well. Pretty convenient! 😄

Conclusion

Adding created_at and updated_at fields to your Mongoose schemas can save you valuable time and effort. With the options provided above, you can easily include these timestamps without hassle.

Now that you know how to automatically handle these fields, it's time to level up your Mongoose skills! Start implementing these changes in your schemas and make your life as a developer much easier. 🚀

Let us know in the comments which option you prefer and why. We'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences with Mongoose!

🌟 Happy coding! 🌟