sequelize relation does not exist

Sequelize Relation Does Not Exist

If you are using Sequelize ORM and facing an error message like "relation does not exist" while trying to query a table, it probably means that the table does not exist in the database or the model definition is incorrect.

Check Database

The first thing you need to do is to check if the table exists in the database. You can use PostgreSQL command line interface or a GUI tool like pgAdmin to check if the table is present in the schema. If it is not present, you will need to create it.

Check Model Definition

If the table exists in the database, then you should check the model definition in your Sequelize code. Make sure that the model name, table name, and column definitions match the actual table structure in the database. If there is a mismatch, you will need to correct it.

Use Sync Method

If you have made changes to the model definition, you can use the sync method provided by Sequelize to synchronize the model with the database schema. This will create or alter the table structure according to the model definition.

const sequelize = new Sequelize('database', 'username', 'password', {
  host: 'localhost',
  dialect: 'postgres'
});

const User = sequelize.define('user', {
  firstName: {
    type: DataTypes.STRING,
    allowNull: false
  },
  lastName: {
    type: DataTypes.STRING,
    allowNull: false
  },
  email: {
    type: DataTypes.STRING,
    allowNull: false,
    unique: true
  }
});

// Synchronize the model with the database schema
User.sync()
  .then(() => console.log('User table created successfully'))
  .catch((err) => console.error('Error creating user table', err));
  

Use Force Option

If you have already created the table in the database and want to alter its structure based on the model definition, you can use the force option provided by Sequelize. This will drop the existing table and create a new one based on the updated model definition.

// Synchronize the model with the database schema and drop the existing table
User.sync({ force: true })
  .then(() => console.log('User table recreated successfully'))
  .catch((err) => console.error('Error recreating user table', err));