Javascript TypeORM MissingDeleteDateColumnError

Soft delete is enabled but no delete date column is defined.

Resolving the MissingDeleteDateColumnError in TypeORM

Understanding TypeORM

TypeORM is a popular Object-Relational Mapper (ORM) for TypeScript and JavaScript that allows developers to interact with databases using object-oriented programming principles. It supports various databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and more, making it a versatile tool for building database-driven applications.

Identifying the Symptom

When working with TypeORM, you might encounter the MissingDeleteDateColumnError. This error typically occurs when you attempt to use soft deletes in your entities but have not defined a delete date column. The error message can be confusing if you're not familiar with TypeORM's soft delete functionality.

What is Observed?

Developers will notice that their application throws an error when trying to perform a soft delete operation. The error message will explicitly mention that a delete date column is missing.

Understanding the Issue

The MissingDeleteDateColumnError is triggered when TypeORM expects a column to track the deletion date of an entity, but such a column is not defined. Soft deletes allow you to mark records as deleted without actually removing them from the database, which is useful for data recovery and auditing purposes.

Why Does This Happen?

This error occurs because TypeORM's soft delete functionality relies on a specific column to store the deletion timestamp. Without this column, TypeORM cannot manage the soft delete state of the entity.

Steps to Fix the Issue

To resolve the MissingDeleteDateColumnError, you need to define a delete date column in your entity using the @DeleteDateColumn decorator. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Define the Delete Date Column

import { Entity, PrimaryGeneratedColumn, Column, DeleteDateColumn } from 'typeorm';

@Entity()
export class User {
@PrimaryGeneratedColumn()
id: number;

@Column()
name: string;

@DeleteDateColumn()
deletedAt: Date;
}

In this example, the @DeleteDateColumn decorator is used to define the deletedAt column, which will store the timestamp of when the entity is soft deleted.

Step 2: Enable Soft Deletes

Ensure that your repository or query builder is configured to use soft deletes. You can perform soft delete operations using the softRemove or softDelete methods provided by TypeORM.

const userRepository = connection.getRepository(User);
await userRepository.softRemove(user);

Additional Resources

For more information on TypeORM and its features, check out the following resources:

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the MissingDeleteDateColumnError and successfully implement soft deletes in your TypeORM project.

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