NestJS CRUD Generator (TypeORM)

Generate NestJS controller, service, and DTOs from a TypeORM entity—with a diff preview before anything is written.

🎥 Demo

Open the Command Palette and run NestJS CRUD: Generate CRUD from entity on a NestJS entity file.

✨ Features

• Generated files — dto/create-*.dto.ts, dto/update-*.dto.ts, *.service.ts, and *.controller.ts next to your feature; optional *.service.spec.ts (built-in templates only)
• Module wiring — optional AST-based updates to the chosen *.module.ts (TypeOrmModule.forFeature, controller, service, imports) when your @Module() uses inline arrays; import paths are computed relative to that module file (e.g. registering under app.module.ts uses ./feature/..., not ./entities/...). Manual snippet when patching is not possible
• Diff before write — preview modes perFile, batch, or off (see nestjsCrud.previewMode)
• Multiple ways to start — Command Palette, CodeLens on @Entity, Quick Fix (Ctrl+. / Cmd+.), editor title bar, or Explorer/context menu on TypeScript files
• Options wizard — step-through for data source, routes, Swagger, and more; disable with nestjsCrud.showOptionsWizard and rely on settings only
• Quick generate — run without the wizard using saved settings merged with your last custom run
• TypeORM SQL or MongoDB — Repository / SQL drivers or MongoRepository + string IDs, chosen in settings or the wizard
• Routes — REST-style paths (default) or legacy-style paths; REST updates via PATCH or PUT
• Optional @nestjs/swagger — decorators on DTOs and controller when enabled
• DTO hints — optional @IsEmail() for email-like string fields; same-file base class fields can be merged into DTOs when enabled
• Conflict awareness — warnings for duplicate routes or DTO names in the feature folder, with a path to generate anyway
• Undo — one-step revert of the last generation (files + module snapshot)
• Custom templates — optional Handlebars folder via nestjsCrud.templatesPath instead of built-in codegen
• In-editor help — NestJS CRUD activity bar view (log, docs link, examples, issue link) and a getting-started walkthrough

Commands

All commands appear under the NestJS CRUD category in the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P).

🚀 How to use

1. Open a NestJS project in VS Code.
2. Open a TypeORM entity file (e.g. *.entity.ts).
3. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux, Cmd+Shift+P on macOS).
4. Run NestJS CRUD: Generate CRUD from entity (you can type Generate CRUD to find it).
5. Follow the prompts, review the diffs, and confirm to write files.

You can also start from the CodeLens on @Entity, Quick Fix (Ctrl+. / Cmd+.), or the editor title bar when a TypeScript file is active.

⚙️ Requirements

• A NestJS application
• TypeORM entities the extension can parse (.ts entity files with @Entity())
• VS Code 1.80 or newer
• When nestjsCrud.useClassValidatorDecorators is true, install class-validator (and usually class-transformer for ValidationPipe) in the project: npm i class-validator class-transformer. With the default useClassValidatorDecorators: false, generated Create DTOs are plain TypeScript fields (no class-validator import).

⚠️ Limitations

• Built for TypeORM — not a generic multi-ORM scaffold tool.
• Assumes a common NestJS layout (e.g. feature module next to an entities/ folder). If your repo is structured differently, you may need to tweak imports or module registration by hand.
• Non-standard or highly custom setups (unusual module patterns, variable-based @Module() arrays, etc.) may need manual follow-up; the extension focuses on everyday projects, not every edge case. If AST-based module patching fails, DTOs, service, and controller are still written — register them in @Module() yourself using the offered snippet or Output panel.

🛠️ Extension settings

Settings are grouped under nestjsCrud.* in VS Code (search “nestjs crud” in Settings). Use them to tune Swagger, preview mode, SQL vs Mongo, route style, module auto-registration, and more. Additional options may ship in future releases—check the Settings UI for the latest list.

📌 Why this extension?

I built this tool during my learning phase to streamline CRUD generation and reduce repetitive work, helping me stay focused on mastering NestJS concepts rather than relying entirely on code generation tools.

• Safer than blind CLI runs — you see diffs before files change.
• Preview-first — fewer surprises in real codebases.
• Built for day-to-day Nest apps — not a heavyweight “scaffold everything” platform.

🧪 Status

Actively maintained. Feedback and issues are welcome on GitHub Issues.

License

MIT — see LICENSE.