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Installation

Install the TypeORM integration package along with its required dependencies: 
npm install @nestjsx/crud-typeorm @nestjs/typeorm typeorm
You’ll also need to install the core @nestjsx/crud package if you haven’t already. See the CRUD installation guide.

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Required Dependencies

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TypeORM Dependencies

The package requires:
  • @nestjs/typeorm - NestJS integration for TypeORM
  • typeorm - The TypeORM library itself

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Database Driver

You’ll also need to install a database driver for your chosen database: 
npm install pg

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TypeORM Setup

Before using the CRUD package, configure TypeORM in your application:

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1. Configure TypeORM Module

import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
import { TypeOrmModule } from '@nestjs/typeorm';

@Module({
  imports: [
    TypeOrmModule.forRoot({
      type: 'postgres',
      host: 'localhost',
      port: 5432,
      username: 'user',
      password: 'password',
      database: 'mydb',
      entities: [__dirname + '/**/*.entity{.ts,.js}'],
      synchronize: true, // Don't use in production!
    }),
  ],
})
export class AppModule {}

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2. Create an Entity

import { Entity, PrimaryGeneratedColumn, Column } from 'typeorm';

@Entity()
export class User {
  @PrimaryGeneratedColumn()
  id: number;

  @Column()
  name: string;

  @Column()
  email: string;
}

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3. Create a Service

import { Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
import { InjectRepository } from '@nestjs/typeorm';
import { TypeOrmCrudService } from '@nestjsx/crud-typeorm';
import { User } from './user.entity';

@Injectable()
export class UserService extends TypeOrmCrudService<User> {
  constructor(@InjectRepository(User) repo) {
    super(repo);
  }
}

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4. Create a Controller

import { Controller } from '@nestjs/common';
import { Crud } from '@nestjsx/crud';
import { User } from './user.entity';
import { UserService } from './user.service';

@Crud({
  model: {
    type: User,
  },
})
@Controller('users')
export class UserController {
  constructor(public service: UserService) {}
}

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5. Register in Module

import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
import { TypeOrmModule } from '@nestjs/typeorm';
import { User } from './user.entity';
import { UserService } from './user.service';
import { UserController } from './user.controller';

@Module({
  imports: [TypeOrmModule.forFeature([User])],
  providers: [UserService],
  controllers: [UserController],
})
export class UserModule {}

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Verification

To verify the installation:
  1. Start your application
  2. The TypeORM connection should be established
  3. Your CRUD endpoints should be available
You can test with a simple GET request: 
curl http://localhost:3000/users

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Advanced Configuration

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Custom Repository

You can use custom TypeORM repositories: 
import { EntityRepository, Repository } from 'typeorm';
import { User } from './user.entity';

@EntityRepository(User)
export class UserRepository extends Repository<User> {
  // Custom methods
}
Then inject it into your service: 
import { Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
import { InjectRepository } from '@nestjs/typeorm';
import { TypeOrmCrudService } from '@nestjsx/crud-typeorm';
import { User } from './user.entity';
import { UserRepository } from './user.repository';

@Injectable()
export class UserService extends TypeOrmCrudService<User> {
  constructor(@InjectRepository(User) repo: UserRepository) {
    super(repo);
  }
}

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Soft Deletes

Enable soft deletes on your entity: 
import { Entity, PrimaryGeneratedColumn, Column, DeleteDateColumn } from 'typeorm';

@Entity()
export class User {
  @PrimaryGeneratedColumn()
  id: number;

  @Column()
  name: string;

  @DeleteDateColumn()
  deletedAt?: Date;
}
The CRUD service will automatically handle soft deletes.

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Next Steps

Request Package

Learn about request query building

Quick Start

Build a complete CRUD API

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Troubleshooting

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Connection Issues

If you’re having trouble connecting to the database:
  • Verify your database credentials
  • Ensure the database server is running
  • Check firewall settings
  • Verify the database driver is installed

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Entity Not Found

If TypeORM can’t find your entities:
  • Check the entities path in TypeORM configuration
  • Ensure entities are exported properly
  • Verify the file naming convention matches the pattern

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