3.4.6. Data Model Relationships

In this chapter, you’ll learn how to define relationships between data models in your module.

What is a Relationship Property?#

A relationship property defines an association in the database between two models. It's created using the Data Model Language (DML) methods, such as hasOne or belongsTo.

When you generate a migration for these data models, the migrations include foreign key columns or pivot tables, based on the relationship's type.

One-to-One Relationship#

A one-to-one relationship indicates that one record of a data model belongs to or is associated with another.

To define a one-to-one relationship, create relationship properties in the data models using the following methods:

1. hasOne: indicates that the model has one records of the specified model.
2. belongsTo: indicates that the model belongs to one record of the specified model.

For example:

Code
1import { model } from "@medusajs/framework/utils"2
3const User = model.define("user", {4  id: model.id().primaryKey(),5  email: model.hasOne(() => Email),6})7
8const Email = model.define("email", {9  id: model.id().primaryKey(),10  user: model.belongsTo(() => User, {11    mappedBy: "email",12  }),13})

In the example above, a user has one email, and an email belongs to one user.

The hasOne and belongsTo methods accept a function as a first parameter. The function returns the associated data model.

The belongsTo method also requires passing as a second parameter an object with the property mappedBy. Its value is the name of the relationship property in the other data model.

Optional Relationship#

To make the relationship optional on the hasOne or belongsTo side, use the nullable method on either properties as explained in this chapter.

One-to-One Relationship in the Database#

When you generate the migrations of data models that have a one-to-one relationship, the migration adds to the table of the data model that has the belongsTo property:

1. A column of the format {relation_name}_id to store the ID of the record of the related data model. For example, the email table will have a user_id column.
2. A foreign key on the {relation_name}_id column to the table of the related data model.

One-to-Many Relationship#

A one-to-many relationship indicates that one record of a data model has many records of another data model.

To define a one-to-many relationship, create relationship properties in the data models using the following methods:

1. hasMany: indicates that the model has more than one records of the specified model.
2. belongsTo: indicates that the model belongs to one record of the specified model.

For example:

Code
1import { model } from "@medusajs/framework/utils"2
3const Store = model.define("store", {4  id: model.id().primaryKey(),5  products: model.hasMany(() => Product),6})7
8const Product = model.define("product", {9  id: model.id().primaryKey(),10  store: model.belongsTo(() => Store, {11    mappedBy: "products",12  }),13})

In this example, a store has many products, but a product belongs to one store.

Optional Relationship#

To make the relationship optional on the belongsTo side, use the nullable method on the property as explained in this chapter.

One-to-Many Relationship in the Database#

When you generate the migrations of data models that have a one-to-many relationship, the migration adds to the table of the data model that has the belongsTo property:

1. A column of the format {relation_name}_id to store the ID of the record of the related data model. For example, the product table will have a store_id column.
2. A foreign key on the {relation_name}_id column to the table of the related data model.

Many-to-Many Relationship#

A many-to-many relationship indicates that many records of a data model can be associated to many records of another data model.

To define a many-to-many relationship, create relationship properties in the data models using the manyToMany method.

For example:

Code
1import { model } from "@medusajs/framework/utils"2
3const Order = model.define("order", {4  id: model.id().primaryKey(),5  products: model.manyToMany(() => Product, {6    mappedBy: "orders",7    pivotTable: "order_product",8    joinColumn: "order_id",9    inverseJoinColumn: "product_id",10  }),11})12
13const Product = model.define("product", {14  id: model.id().primaryKey(),15  orders: model.manyToMany(() => Order, {16    mappedBy: "products",17  }),18})

The manyToMany method accepts two parameters:

1. A function that returns the associated data model.
2. An object of optional configuration. Only one of the data models in the relation can define the pivotTable, joinColumn, and inverseJoinColumn configurations, and it's considered the owner data model. The object can accept the following properties:
   • mappedBy: The name of the relationship property in the other data model. If not set, the property's name is inferred from the associated data model's name.
   • pivotTable: The name of the pivot table created in the database for the many-to-many relation. If not set, the pivot table is inferred by combining the names of the data models' tables in alphabetical order, seperating them by _, and pluralizing the last name. For example, order_products.
   • joinColumn: The name of the column in the pivot table that points to the owner model's primary key.
   • inverseJoinColumn: The name of the column in the pivot table that points to the owned model's primary key.

In this example, an order is associated with many products, and a product is associated with many orders. Since the pivotTable, joinColumn, and inverseJoinColumn configurations are defined on the order, it's considered the owner data model.

Many-to-Many Relationship in the Database#

When you generate the migrations of data models that have a many-to-many relationship, the migration adds a new pivot table. Its name is either the name you specify in the pivotTable configuration, or the inferred name combining the names of the data models' tables in alphabetical order, seperating them by _, and pluralizing the last name. For example, order_products.

The pivot table has a column with the name {data_model}_id for each of the data model's tables. It also has foreign keys on each of these columns to their respective tables.

The pivot table has columns with foreign keys pointing to the primary key of the associated tables. The column's name is either:

• The value of the joinColumn configuration for the owner table, and the inverseJoinColumn configuration for the owned table;
• Or the inferred name {table_name}_id.

Set Relationship Name in the Other Model#

The relationship property methods accept as a second parameter an object of options. The mappedBy property defines the name of the relationship in the other data model.

This is useful if the relationship property’s name is different than that of the associated data model.

As seen in previous examples, the mappedBy option is required for the belongsTo method.

For example:

Code
1import { model } from "@medusajs/framework/utils"2
3const User = model.define("user", {4  id: model.id().primaryKey(),5  email: model.hasOne(() => Email, {6    mappedBy: "owner",7  }),8})9
10const Email = model.define("email", {11  id: model.id().primaryKey(),12  owner: model.belongsTo(() => User, {13    mappedBy: "email",14  }),15})

In this example, you specify in the User data model’s relationship property that the name of the relationship in the Email data model is owner.

Cascades#

When an operation is performed on a data model, such as record deletion, the relationship cascade specifies what related data model records should be affected by it.

For example, if a store is deleted, its products should also be deleted.

The cascades method used on a data model configures which child records an operation is cascaded to.

For example:

Code
1import { model } from "@medusajs/framework/utils"2
3const Store = model.define("store", {4  id: model.id().primaryKey(),5  products: model.hasMany(() => Product),6})7.cascades({8  delete: ["products"],9})10
11const Product = model.define("product", {12  id: model.id().primaryKey(),13  store: model.belongsTo(() => Store, {14    mappedBy: "products",15  }),16})

The cascades method accepts an object. Its key is the operation’s name, such as delete. The value is an array of relationship property names that the operation is cascaded to.

In the example above, when a store is deleted, its associated products are also deleted.