unimodel-core

Unimodel is a specification and framework for creating models across multiple different data sources that behave the same. Model implementors must override the relevant methods on the base classes, and model users can expect a consistent interface.

Overview

Unimodel centers around two concepts - models and documents.

A model is an object that handles dealing with a particular collection of objects in a datastore. Models contain methods such as find() and create() that interact with the collection itself rather than individual objects contained inside the collection.

A document is a single object inside of a collection. Models have methods that return documents, and documents contain methods that interact with that single object, such as save() and remove().

In Unimodel, both models and documents are represented by ES6 classes. The class (constructor) for the model is called the model class and the class (constructor) for documents is called the document class. Unlike similar model systems, methods on the model like find() are actually instance methods on the model, instead of static methods on the model class.

Model classes can be abstract, such that multiple different types of models can be instantiated from a model class. For example, the following models and documents could be involved in a system storing Animal objects in a Mongo database.

• A MongoModel model class which creates models stored in a Mongo database.
• An Animals instance of MongoModel which includes the schema and collection name of animals.
• A MongoDocument document class which is used to instantiate Mongo objects.
• Multiple animal objects which are instances of MongoDocument, created using Animals.create().

Here's another example where the model is not on top of a generic database, but is instead on top of a specific API (say, Twitter).

• A TweetModel model class which creates tweet models.
• A Tweets model, containing find(), create(), etc.
• A Tweet document class which is used to instantiate Tweet documents.
• Many tweet objects which are instances of TweetDocument and correspond to individual tweets.

Model

To create a model, inherit from the base Model class and override any of its methods that you support.

const Model = require('unimodel-core').Model;

These methods are:

constructor()

The constructor takes no options by default. Child classes may add options (for example, the Mongo model above would take a schema and collection name as constructor parameters).

getName()

Returns a name that can be used for the model. It should be uppercase and pluralized. For example, Animals.

getKeys()

Returns an array of field names which are used to key the document. These field names are in order from most specific to least specific. For example, a model that stores cities might have the keys [ 'cityName', 'state', 'country', 'planet' ].

getType()

Returns the base model type, which is typically simply the constructor name. For example, UnimongoModel or ElasticsearchModel.

find(query[, options])

This method performs a query on the database and returns a promise that resolve with the results. The query is a common-query query which should be transformed to whatever the underlying database supports. If an unsupported query operator is used, find() should throw an UNSUPPORTED_OPERATION XError.

Standard options are: (individual models can add their own model-specific options)

• skip - Number of documents at the start of the result set to skip over
• limit - Maximum number of results to return. Models may set their own defaults.
• fields - An array of field names to return, by default all fields are returned
• total - If set to boolean true, the returned result array also contains a property called total which contains the total number of results without the limit.
• sort - An array of field names to sort by. Each field name can be optionally prefixed with - to reverse its sort order.

model.find(
	{ foo: { $gt: 5 } },
	{
		fields: [ 'thing', 'thing2.subfield' ],
		total: true
	}
).then( function(results) {
	// results = [ document1, document2 ]
	// results.total = 2
} )

If find() is not overridden but findStream() is, the default implementation of find() will use findStream() to return results.

findStream(query[, options])

This method is similar to find() but instead of returning a promise that resolves with an array of results, findStream() returns a readable object stream to stream results. It takes the same options as find().

The returned stream should be a zstreams readable object stream with the DocumentStream class mixed in. This returned stream should contain a method called getTotal(), which returns a promise resolving with the total number of results.

model.findStream({ foo: { $gt: 5 } }).intoArray().then(...);

If findStream() is not overridden, but find() is, the default implementation will use find() and construct a fake readable stream.

findOne(query[, options])

This method is like find, but returns only the first result if any are found.

model.findOne({ foo: { $gt: 5 } }).then(...);

count(query[, options])

Takes the same options as find(). Returns a promise that resolves with the count of documents matching the query.

create([data])

Creates and returns a new document, optionally with the provided data. This does not immediately save to the database. Call save() on the document to save it.

var animal = animals.create({
	animalType: 'cat',
	name: 'Toby'
});

aggregate(query, aggregate[, options])

This method performs an aggregate on a collection (ie, statistics or grouping).

The query argument specifies a filter. The aggregate only operates on documents matched by the filter.

The aggregate option specifies an aggregate spec (instructions on how to perform the aggregate). See the Aggregates section below for details on how to specify aggregates.

Options can include:

• limit - Maximum number of result entries to return.
• sort - Array of fields to sort the results by. These fields reference the result entries. For example, a sort field could be age.avg .

model.aggregate({
	shelterLocation: 'Clifton'
}, {
	type: 'stats',
	stats: {
		age: {
			max: true
		}
	}
}, {
	limit: 5,
	sort: [ 'stats.age.max' ]
}).then(function(results) {
	// ...
});

aggregateMulti(query, aggregates[, options])

This method performs multiple aggregations at once. It behaves the same as aggregate(), but the aggregates argument is a map from keys to aggregate specs, and the result object is a map from the same keys to aggregate results.

model.aggregateMulti({
	shelterLocation: 'Clifton'
}, {
	foo: {
		type: 'stats',
		stats: {
			age: {
				max: true
			}
		}
	},
	bar: {
		type: 'stats',
		stats: {
			age: {
				max: true
			}
		}
	}
}).then(function(resultMap) {
	// resultMap.foo = { total: 200, ... }
	// resultMap.bar = [ { key: ... }, ... ]
});

remove(query[, options])

Remove a list of documents from the database that match the given query. All options are model-specific.

animals.remove({ animalType: 'dog' }).then(function(numRemoved) { ... })

update(query, update[, options])

Performs an update operation on all documents in the database that match a query. The update expression given is a CommonQuery syntax update.

Options may include:

• allowFullReplace - By default, if the update expression doesn't contain any operators (starting with $), the whole object is implicitly wrapped in a $set instead of replacing the entire document. If allowFullReplace is set to true, this behavior is disabled.

animals.update({
	name: 'Toby'
}, {
	$inc: { age: 1 }
}).then(function(numUpdated) { ... });

insert(data[, options])

Inserts a document directly into the database without constructing the Document object.

animals.insert({
	animalType: 'cat',
	name: 'Toby',
	age: 5,
	...
}).then(function() { ... });

upsert(query, update[, options])

Performs an update operation on all documents in the database that match a query, creating a document if none exist. The update expression given is a CommonQuery syntax update. The default implementation is to call #insert when there are no matching documents, and #update if there are. Accepts the same options as #update.

animals.upsert({
	name: 'Toby'
}, {
	$inc: { age: 1 }
}).then(function(numUpdated) { ... });

Document

A document represents a single object in the datastore. It should not be constructed directly (except by the model implementation). Instead, create new documents using model.create() .

Methods are:

getData()

Unlike model systems like mongoose, data on documents is not stored directly on the Document object. To get the object that contains the document data, call getData() on the document. The returned object is both readable and mutable.

var animalData = animal.getData();

getModel()

Returns the model instance that created the document.

save()

Saves the current document data.

animal.save().then(function() { ... })

remove()

Remove the document from the datastore.

animal.remove().then(function() { ... })

Hooks

Like mongoose, unimodel models have hooks that are registered on the model and are executed when various document actions are performed. Hooks are implemented by crisphooks and are registered like this:

animalModel.hook('pre-save', function(animal) {
	animal.age++;
	// Can optionally return a promise
});

Models can add their own hook types. Defined hooks are:

• post-init - A synchronous-only hook that executes after a document object is constructed. It takes a parameter of the document, and this points to the model.
• pre-save - Executes before the document is saved. It takes a parameter of the document, and this points to the model.
• post-save - Executes after the document is saved, before save() returns. It takes a parameter of the document, and this points to the model.
• pre-remove - Executes before the document is removed.
• post-remove - Executes after the document is removed.

Schema-based Models

Unimodel also contains additional base classes for schema-based abstract models. These inherit from the normal base classes.

SchemaModel

SchemaModel contains all the methods of Model along with the following additions:

constructor(schema[, options])

The constructor takes a CommonSchema Schema object in addition to its normal options. Options can additionally contain anything that Schema#normalize() accepts.

getSchema()

Returns the CommonSchema Schema.

getKeys()

Returns an array of all fields in the schema marked with { key: true }. This flag indicates that the field is part of a key used to identify the document.

For example, given this schema

{
	foo: { type: String, key: true },
	bar: { type: Date, key: true },
	baz: Number
}

getKeys() will return [ 'foo', 'bar' ] .

normalizeQuery(query[, options])

Given a CommonQuery Query object, normalizes it according to the model's schema. Options can contain anything Query#normalize() accepts. The query passed in can also be a plain object, in which case it's converted to a Query. Returns the normalized Query object.

normalizeUpdate(update[, options])

Same thing as normalizeQuery() but for CommonQuery updates.

normalizeAggregate(aggregate[, options])

Same thing as normalizeQuery() but for CommonQuery aggregates.

SchemaDocument

normalize([options])

Normalizes the document data according to the model's schema, in-place. Also executes the pre-normalize and post-normalize hooks. Normally this should be called from the implementing class's save() method.

This normalize() method returns a promise as hooks can execute asynchronously.

Aggregates

See the aggregates section in common-query for details.

Miscellaneous methods

You can use Model.isModel to test whether a given value is a model instance.

Model.isModel(new Model());
// => true

Model.isModel('bar');
// => false

Quirks

• The default implementation of Model#upsert provided does not work with Array paths. It is recommended to override the Model#upsert method if something more robust is desired.