# Nestjs Search

> Elasticsearch integration and Sync patterns. Use when integrating Elasticsearch or implementing search index sync in NestJS. (triggers: **/*.service.ts, **/search/**, Elasticsearch, CQRS, Synchronization)

- Skill: `comeonoliver/nestjs-search` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add comeonoliver/nestjs-search`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/comeonoliver/nestjs-search/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: ComeOnOliver (https://skillmd.com/u/comeonoliver)
- Updated: 2026-09-08
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/comeonoliver/nestjs-search

---


# Search Engine & Full-Text

## **Priority: P1 (OPERATIONAL)**

Full-text search implementation with Elasticsearch and database patterns.

- **Pattern**: **CQRS (Command Query Responsibility Segregation)**.
  - **Write**: To Primary Database (Postgres/MySQL). Source of Truth.
  - **Read (Complex)**: To Search Engine (Elasticsearch, OpenSearch, MeiliSearch). Optimized for filtering, fuzzy search, and aggregation.

## Synchronization (The Hard Part)

- **Dual Write (Anti-Pattern)**: `await db.save(); await es.index();`.
  - _Why_: Partial failures leave data inconsistent. Slows down HTTP response.
- **Event-Driven (Recommended)**:
  1. Service writes to DB.
  2. Service emits `EntityUpdated`.
  3. Event Handler (Async) pushes to Queue (BullMQ).
  4. Worker indexes document to Search Engine with retries.
- **CDC (Golden Standard)**: Change Data Capture (Debezium). Connects directly to DB transaction log. No app conceptual overhead, but higher ops complexity.

## Organization

- **Module**: Encapsulate the client in a `SearchModule`.
- **Abstraction**: Create generic `SearchService<T>` helpers.
  - `indexDocument(id, body)`
  - `search(query, filters)`
- **Mapping**: Use `class-transformer` to map Entities to "Search Documents". Search docs should be flatter than Relational entities constraints.

## Testing

- **E2E**: Do not mock the search engine in critical E2E flows.
- **Docker**: Spin up `elasticsearch:8` container in the test harness to verify indexing works.


## Anti-Patterns

- **No dual writes to DB + ES**: Use event-driven or CDC pattern; dual writes risk partial failure inconsistency.
- **No Elasticsearch for structured queries**: Use DB indexes for filtering; ES is for full-text and complex search.
- **No ES mocks in E2E search tests**: Spin up `elasticsearch:8` container to verify indexing behavior accurately.