NestJS GraphQL MongoDB Demo

This is a demonstration project showcasing the integration of NestJS with GraphQL and MongoDB. It serves as a practical learning resource for developers interested in building modern Node.js applications with these technologies.

Features Demonstrated

• NestJS Framework: Modern Node.js framework with TypeScript support
• GraphQL Integration: Using @nestjs/graphql with Apollo Server
• Apollo Sandbox: Interactive GraphQL IDE for testing queries
• MongoDB Database: NoSQL database integration using Mongoose
• Docker Infrastructure: Containerized development environment
• Development Tools:
  • Apollo Sandbox for API testing and exploration
  • Mongo Express for database management
  • Hot-reload development setup

Prerequisites

• Docker and Docker Compose
• Node.js (for local development)
• npm or yarn

Infrastructure Components

The project uses Docker Compose to orchestrate the following services:

1. NestJS Application:

   • Main application container
   • Auto-reloading in development mode
   • Exposed on port 3000

2. MongoDB:

   • Version 7.0
   • Persistent data storage
   • Exposed on port 27017
   • No authentication required (development mode)

3. Mongo Express:

   • Web-based MongoDB admin interface
   • Accessible on port 8081

Getting Started

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd nestjs-graphql-setup

2. Create a .env file (optional):

   NODE_ENV=development
   PORT=3000
   GRAPHQL_SCHEMA_FILE=schema.gql

3. Start the services:

   docker-compose up

Accessing Services

• GraphQL API and Apollo Sandbox: http://localhost:3000/graphql
• Mongo Express: http://localhost:8081

Development

The application is configured for development with hot-reload. Any changes to the source code will automatically trigger a rebuild of the application.

Example Implementation: Cats API

This project includes a complete example of a Cats API that demonstrates the integration between NestJS, GraphQL, and MongoDB. The example showcases:

• GraphQL Schema Definition using TypeScript decorators
• CRUD operations with MongoDB
• GraphQL Queries and Mutations
• Input type validation
• MongoDB Schema and Model setup

Available Operations

1. Query: hello

   • Simple hello world query
   • Returns a greeting message

2. Query: cats

   • Fetches all cats from the database
   • Returns an array of cats with their properties

3. Mutation: createCat

   • Creates a new cat in the database
   • Input fields:
     • name: string
     • age: number
     • breed: string

Example Screenshots

Apollo Sandbox Interface

MongoDB Data Storage

API Testing and Documentation

Project Structure

• src/ - Application source code
• schema.gql - Generated GraphQL schema
• docker-compose.yml - Docker services configuration
• Dockerfile - NestJS application container configuration

Note

This is a demonstration project intended for learning and practice purposes. It showcases best practices for setting up a NestJS application with GraphQL and MongoDB in a containerized environment. For production deployments, you should enable proper authentication and security measures.