99 lines
2.9 KiB
Markdown
99 lines
2.9 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Configure Relations with Proper Cascade Options
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impact: CRITICAL
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impactDescription: Maintains referential integrity, prevents orphaned records, controls deletion behavior
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tags: collections, relations, foreign-keys, cascade, design
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---
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## Configure Relations with Proper Cascade Options
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Relation fields connect collections together. Proper cascade configuration ensures data integrity when referenced records are deleted.
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**Incorrect (default cascade behavior not considered):**
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```javascript
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// Relation without considering deletion behavior
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const ordersSchema = [
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{ name: 'customer', type: 'relation', options: {
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collectionId: 'customers_collection_id',
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maxSelect: 1
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// No cascade options specified - defaults may cause issues
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}},
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{ name: 'products', type: 'relation', options: {
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collectionId: 'products_collection_id'
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// Multiple products, no cascade handling
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}}
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];
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// Deleting a customer may fail or orphan orders
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await pb.collection('customers').delete(customerId);
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// Error: record is referenced by other records
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```
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**Correct (explicit cascade configuration):**
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```javascript
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// Carefully configured relations
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const ordersSchema = [
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{
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name: 'customer',
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type: 'relation',
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required: true,
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options: {
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collectionId: 'customers_collection_id',
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maxSelect: 1,
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cascadeDelete: false // Prevent accidental mass deletion
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}
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},
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{
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name: 'products',
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type: 'relation',
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options: {
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collectionId: 'products_collection_id',
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maxSelect: 99,
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cascadeDelete: false
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}
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}
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];
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// For dependent data like comments - cascade delete makes sense
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const commentsSchema = [
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{
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name: 'post',
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type: 'relation',
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options: {
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collectionId: 'posts_collection_id',
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maxSelect: 1,
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cascadeDelete: true // Delete comments when post is deleted
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}
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}
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];
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// NOTE: For audit logs, avoid cascadeDelete - logs should be retained
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// for compliance/forensics even after the referenced user is deleted.
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// Use cascadeDelete: false and handle user deletion separately.
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// Handle deletion manually when cascade is false
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try {
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await pb.collection('customers').delete(customerId);
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} catch (e) {
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if (e.status === 400) {
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// Customer has orders - handle appropriately
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// Option 1: Soft delete (set 'deleted' flag)
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// Option 2: Reassign orders
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// Option 3: Delete orders first
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}
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}
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```
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**Cascade options:**
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- `cascadeDelete: true` - Delete referencing records when referenced record is deleted
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- `cascadeDelete: false` - Block deletion if references exist (default for required relations)
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**Best practices:**
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- Use `cascadeDelete: true` for dependent data (comments on posts, logs for users)
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- Use `cascadeDelete: false` for important data (orders, transactions)
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- Consider soft deletes for audit trails
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- Document your cascade strategy
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Reference: [PocketBase Relations](https://pocketbase.io/docs/collections/#relation)
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