FAQ

What IAM permissions do I need to run Dynamoose?

The following is a chart of IAM permissions you need in order to run Dynamoose for given actions.

Dynamoose Action	IAM Permission	Notes
new Table()	createTable, describeTable, updateTable, updateTimeToLive, describeTimeToLive, listTagsOfResource, tagResource, untagResource	createTable is only used if create is set to true. describeTable is only used if waitForActive OR create is set to true. updateTable is only used if update is set to true. updateTimeToLive & describeTimeToLive is only used if create or update is set to true and there is an expires setting on the model. listTagsOfResource, tagResource, untagResource are only used if update is set to true or includes tags in the array of strings.
table.initialize	^	Same as new Table()
table.create	createTable	Only if return setting is not equal to request.
Model.get	getItem
Model.batchGet	batchGetItem
Model.scan	scan	This permission is only required on scan.exec
Model.query	query	This permission is only required on query.exec
Model.create	putItem
Model.batchPut	batchWriteItem
Model.update	updateItem
Model.delete	deleteItem
Model.batchDelete	batchWriteItem
item.save	putItem
item.delete	deleteItem
dynamoose.transaction	transactGetItems, transactWriteItems

Why is it recommended to set create, update & waitForActive model options to false for production environments?

Both the create, update & waitForActive model options add overhead to creating model instances. In your production environment it is assumed that you already have the tables setup prior to deploying your application, which makes the create, update & waitForActive options unnecessary.

Why are arrays or objects empty when using Dynamoose?

Dynamoose requires strict conformance to your schema. If arrays or objects are empty, this is likely a case of not defining the sub-schema of that attribute. You should use the schema property to define what the sub-schema of the array or object should be.

For example, if you have the following schema:

{
    "id": String,
    "names": {
        "type": Array
    }
}

This can be converted to the following to tell Dynamoose what types of items should exist within the array.

{
    "id": String,
    "names": {
        "type": Array,
        "schema": [String]
    }
}

Additionally, the same works for objects.

{
    "id": String,
    "address": {
        "type": Object
    }
}

To:

{
    "id": String,
    "address": {
        "type": Object,
        "schema": {
            "zip": String,
            "country": String
        }
    }
}

What order does Dynamoose handle item actions in?

Below is a list of how Dynamoose processes item actions.

• map/alias/aliases mapping (toDynamo only)
• Type Checking
• Defaults
• Custom Types
• DynamoDB Type Handler (ex. converting sets to correct value)
• Combine
• get/set modifiers
• Schema level get/set modifiers
• Validation check
• Schema level validation check
• Required check
• Enum check
• map/alias/aliases mapping (fromDynamo only)

Is Dynamoose's goal to be compatible with Mongoose?

No. Although Dynamoose was inspired by Mongoose, there are a lot of differences between the two database engines. We do not have the goal of a fully compatible API with Mongoose, although you will find a lot of similarities. Some areas of Dynamoose we will not attempt to take any inspiration from Mongoose, and design it in our own way.

Can I use an undocumented property, class, method or function in Dynamoose?

Definitely not. Anything that is undocumented in Dynamoose can change at anytime without a breaking change version, and using anything that is undocumented can lead to unexpected behavior. If you notice something in the internal codebase that you would like to make publicly accessible to use in your own services, please create a PR or issue to add documentation to it, and it will be reviewed to ensure the functionality is able to remain stable.

Where can I find information about using Dynamoose with TypeScript?

Here.

Where can I find documentation for v2?

Here.

Where can I find documentation for v1?

Here.

How do I migrate from v1 to v2?

See the release notes for v2.0.0 for a list of breaking changes.