# Tree Entities

TypeORM supports the Adjacency list and Closure table patterns for storing tree structures.
To learn more about hierarchy table take a look at [this awesome presentation by Bill Karwin](https://www.slideshare.net/billkarwin/models-for-hierarchical-data).

* [Adjacency list](#adjacency-list)
* [Nested set](#nested-set)
* [Materialized Path (aka Path Enumeration)](#materialized-path-aka-path-enumeration)
* [Closure table](#closure-table)
* [Working with tree entities](#working-with-tree-entities)

## Adjacency list

Adjacency list is a simple model with self-referencing.
The benefit of this approach is simplicity,
drawback is that you can't load big trees in all at once because of join limitations.
To learn more about the benefits and use of Adjacency Lists look at [this article by Matthew Schinckel](http://schinckel.net/2014/09/13/long-live-adjacency-lists/).
Example:

```typescript
import {Entity, Column, PrimaryGeneratedColumn, ManyToOne, OneToMany} from "typeorm";

@Entity()
export class Category {

    @PrimaryGeneratedColumn()
    id: number;

    @Column()
    name: string;

    @Column()
    description: string;

    @ManyToOne(type => Category, category => category.children)
    parent: Category;

    @OneToMany(type => Category, category => category.parent)
    children: Category[];
}

```

## Nested set

Nested set is another pattern of storing tree structures in the database.
Its very efficient for reads, but bad for writes.
You cannot have multiple roots in nested set.
Example:

```typescript
import {Entity, Tree, Column, PrimaryGeneratedColumn, TreeChildren, TreeParent, TreeLevelColumn} from "typeorm";

@Entity()
@Tree("nested-set")
export class Category {

    @PrimaryGeneratedColumn()
    id: number;

    @Column()
    name: string;

    @TreeChildren()
    children: Category[];

    @TreeParent()
    parent: Category;
}
```

## Materialized Path (aka Path Enumeration)

Materialized Path (also called Path Enumeration) is another pattern of storing tree structures in the database.
Its simple and effective.
Example:

```typescript
import {Entity, Tree, Column, PrimaryGeneratedColumn, TreeChildren, TreeParent, TreeLevelColumn} from "typeorm";

@Entity()
@Tree("materialized-path")
export class Category {

    @PrimaryGeneratedColumn()
    id: number;

    @Column()
    name: string;

    @TreeChildren()
    children: Category[];

    @TreeParent()
    parent: Category;
}
```

## Closure table

Closure table stores relations between parent and child in a separate table in a special way.
It's efficient in both reads and writes.
Example:

```typescript
import {Entity, Tree, Column, PrimaryGeneratedColumn, TreeChildren, TreeParent, TreeLevelColumn} from "typeorm";

@Entity()
@Tree("closure-table")
export class Category {

    @PrimaryGeneratedColumn()
    id: number;

    @Column()
    name: string;

    @TreeChildren()
    children: Category[];

    @TreeParent()
    parent: Category;
}
```

You can specify closure table name and / or closure table columns names by setting optional parameter `options` into `@Tree("closure-table", options)`. `ancestorColumnName` and `descandantColumnName` are callback functions, which receive primary column's metadata and return column's name.

```ts
@Tree("closure-table", {
    closureTableName: "category_closure",
    ancestorColumnName: (column) => "ancestor_" + column.propertyName,
    descendantColumnName: (column) => "descendant_" + column.propertyName,
})
```

## Working with tree entities

To bind tree entities to each other, it is required to set the parent in the child entity and then save them.
for example:

```typescript
const manager = getManager();

const a1 = new Category("a1");
a1.name = "a1";
await manager.save(a1);

const a11 = new Category();
a11.name = "a11";
a11.parent = a1;
await manager.save(a11);

const a12 = new Category();
a12.name = "a12";
a12.parent = a1;
await manager.save(a12);

const a111 = new Category();
a111.name = "a111";
a111.parent = a11;
await manager.save(a111);

const a112 = new Category();
a112.name = "a112";
a112.parent = a11;
await manager.save(a112);
```

To load such a tree use `TreeRepository`:

```typescript
const manager = getManager();
const trees = await manager.getTreeRepository(Category).findTrees();
```

`trees` will be following:

```json
[{
    "id": 1,
    "name": "a1",
    "children": [{
        "id": 2,
        "name": "a11",
        "children": [{
            "id": 4,
            "name": "a111"
        }, {
            "id": 5,
            "name": "a112"
        }]
    }, {
        "id": 3,
        "name": "a12"
    }]
}]
```

There are other special methods to work with tree entities through `TreeRepository`:

* `findTrees` - Returns all trees in the database with all their children, children of children, etc.

```typescript
const treeCategories = await repository.findTrees();
// returns root categories with sub categories inside

const treeCategoriesWithRelations = await repository.findTrees({ relations: ["sites"] });
// automatically joins the sites relation
```

* `findRoots` - Roots are entities that have no ancestors. Finds them all.
Does not load children leafs.

```typescript
const rootCategories = await repository.findRoots();
// returns root categories without sub categories inside
```

* `findDescendants` - Gets all children (descendants) of the given entity. Returns them all in a flat array.

```typescript
const children = await repository.findDescendants(parentCategory);
// returns all direct subcategories (without its nested categories) of a parentCategory
```

* `findDescendantsTree` - Gets all children (descendants) of the given entity. Returns them in a tree - nested into each other.

```typescript
const childrenTree = await repository.findDescendantsTree(parentCategory);
// returns all direct subcategories (with its nested categories) of a parentCategory
```

* `createDescendantsQueryBuilder` - Creates a query builder used to get descendants of the entities in a tree.

```typescript
const children = await repository
    .createDescendantsQueryBuilder("category", "categoryClosure", parentCategory)
    .andWhere("category.type = 'secondary'")
    .getMany();
```

* `countDescendants` - Gets number of descendants of the entity.

```typescript
const childrenCount = await repository.countDescendants(parentCategory);
```

* `findAncestors` - Gets all parent (ancestors) of the given entity. Returns them all in a flat array.

```typescript
const parents = await repository.findAncestors(childCategory);
// returns all direct childCategory's parent categories (without "parent of parents")
```

* `findAncestorsTree` - Gets all parent (ancestors) of the given entity. Returns them in a tree - nested into each other.

```typescript
const parentsTree = await repository.findAncestorsTree(childCategory);
// returns all direct childCategory's parent categories (with "parent of parents")
```

* `createAncestorsQueryBuilder` - Creates a query builder used to get ancestors of the entities in a tree.

```typescript
const parents = await repository
    .createAncestorsQueryBuilder("category", "categoryClosure", childCategory)
    .andWhere("category.type = 'secondary'")
    .getMany();
```

* `countAncestors` - Gets the number of ancestors of the entity.

```typescript
const parentsCount = await repository.countAncestors(childCategory);
```