Objection.js

# Overview

# Model data lifecycle

For the purposes of this explanation, let’s define three data layouts:

  1. database: The data layout returned by the database.
  2. internal: The data layout of a model instance.
  3. external: The data layout after calling model.toJSON().

Whenever data is converted from one layout to another, converter methods are called:

  1. database -> $parseDatabaseJson -> internal
  2. internal -> $formatDatabaseJson -> database
  3. external -> $parseJson -> internal
  4. internal -> $formatJson -> external

So for example when the results of a query are read from the database the data goes through the $parseDatabaseJson method. When data is written to database it goes through the $formatDatabaseJson method.

Similarly when you give data for a query (for example query().insert(req.body)) or create a model explicitly using Model.fromJson(obj) the $parseJson method is invoked. When you call model.toJSON() or model.$toJson() the $formatJson is called.

Note: Most libraries like express (opens new window) and koa (opens new window) automatically call the toJSON method when you pass the model instance to methods like response.json(model). You rarely need to call toJSON() or $toJson() explicitly.

By overriding the lifecycle methods, you can have different layouts for the data in database and when exposed to the outside world.

All instance methods of models are prefixed with $ letter so that they won’t overlap with database properties. All properties that start with $ are also removed from database and external layouts.

In addition to these data formatting hooks, Model also has query lifecycle hooks

Static Properties →