📍 Location Service
The Location Service provides a complete REST API for managing hierarchical locations with parent-child relationships and ancestor tracking. It's designed to handle organizational structures, geographic hierarchies, and location-based data using the Nodeblocks functional composition approach and MongoDB integration.
🚀 Quickstart
import express from 'express';
import { middlewares, services, drivers } from '@nodeblocks/backend-sdk';
const { nodeBlocksErrorMiddleware } = middlewares;
const { locationService } = services;
const { withMongo } = drivers;
const connectToDatabase = withMongo('mongodb://localhost:27017', 'dev', 'user', 'password');
express()
.use(
locationService(
{
...(await connectToDatabase('locations')),
...(await connectToDatabase('identities')),
},
{
authSecrets: {
authEncSecret: 'your-encryption-secret',
authSignSecret: 'your-signing-secret',
},
identity: {
typeIds: {
admin: '100',
guest: '000',
regular: '001',
},
},
}
)
)
.use(nodeBlocksErrorMiddleware())
.listen(8089, () => console.log('Server running'));
📋 Endpoint Summary
Location Operations
| Method | Path | Description | Auth Required |
|---|---|---|---|
POST | /locations | Create a new location | ✅ Admin |
GET | /locations/:locationId | Retrieve a location by ID | ❌ |
GET | /locations | List all locations | ❌ |
PATCH | /locations/:locationId | Update a location | ✅ Admin |
DELETE | /locations/:locationId | Delete a location | ✅ Admin |
🗄️ Entity Schema
The location entity combines base fields (auto-generated) with location-specific data:
{
"name": "string",
"code": "string",
"type": "string",
"parentId": "string",
"ancestors": ["string"],
"createdAt": "string (datetime)",
"id": "string",
"updatedAt": "string (datetime)"
}
Field Details
| Field | Type | Auto-Generated | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
name | string | ❌ | ✅ | Location name |
code | string | ❌ | ✅ | Unique location identifier code |
type | string | ❌ | ✅ | Location type classification (ORGANIZATION, REGION, CITY, BUILDING) |
parentId | string | ❌ | ❌ | Parent location ID for hierarchical structure |
ancestors | string[] | ✅ | ✅ | Array of ancestor location IDs (auto-calculated) |
createdAt | datetime | ✅ | ✅ | Creation timestamp |
id | string | ✅ | ✅ | Unique identifier (UUID) |
updatedAt | datetime | ✅ | ✅ | Last modification timestamp |
📝 Note: Auto-generated fields are set by the service and should not be included in create/update requests. The
parentIdfield enables hierarchical location structures, andancestorsis automatically calculated from the parent hierarchy.
🔐 Authentication Headers
For protected endpoints, include the following headers:
Authorization: Bearer <admin_access_token>
x-nb-fingerprint: <device_fingerprint>
⚠️ Important: The
x-nb-fingerprintheader is required for all authenticated requests if fingerprint was specified during authorization. Without it, requests will return 401 Unauthorized.
🔧 API Endpoints
1. Create Location
Creates a new location with the provided information and optional hierarchical parent relationship.
Request:
- Method:
POST - Path:
/locations - Headers:
Content-Type: application/jsonAuthorization: Bearer <token>x-nb-fingerprint: <device-fingerprint>
- Authorization: Bearer token required (admin)
Request Body:
| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
name | string | ✅ | Location name |
code | string | ✅ | Unique location identifier code |
type | string | ✅ | Location type classification |
parentId | string | ❌ | Parent location ID for hierarchical structure |
Response Body:
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
id | string | Unique location identifier |
name | string | Location name |
code | string | Unique location identifier code |
type | string | Location type classification |
parentId | string | Parent location ID (if applicable) |
ancestors | string[] | Array of ancestor location IDs |
createdAt | string | Creation timestamp |
updatedAt | string | Last update timestamp |
Validation:
- Schema Validation: Enforced automatically (name, code, type required)
- Route Validators:
- Require authenticated request (bearer token)
- Require admin role
Example Request:
curl -X POST http://localhost:8089/locations \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer <admin_token>" \
-H "x-nb-fingerprint: <device-fingerprint>" \
-d '{
"name": "Headquarters",
"code": "HQ",
"type": "BUILDING",
"parentId": "city-123"
}'
Success Response:
HTTP/1.1 201 Created
Content-Type: application/json
{
"id": "location-uuid",
"name": "Headquarters",
"code": "HQ",
"type": "BUILDING",
"parentId": "city-123",
"ancestors": ["org-456", "region-789", "city-123"],
"createdAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
"updatedAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}
2. List Locations
Retrieves a paginated list of locations with public access and pagination support.
Request:
- Method:
GET - Path:
/locations - Authorization: None required
Query Parameters:
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
page | number | ❌ | Page number for pagination (1-1000) |
limit | number | ❌ | Number of items per page (1-50) |
Response Body: Paginated response with locations array and metadata.
Response Structure:
{
"data": [
{
"id": "string",
"name": "string",
"code": "string",
"type": "string",
"parentId": "string",
"ancestors": ["string"],
"createdAt": "string",
"updatedAt": "string"
}
],
"metadata": {
"pagination": {
"page": number,
"limit": number,
"total": number,
"totalPages": number,
"hasNext": boolean,
"hasPrev": boolean
}
}
}
Validation:
- Schema Validation: Query parameter validation for pagination (page, limit)
- Route Validators: None
Example Request:
curl "http://localhost:8089/locations?page=1&limit=10"
Success Response:
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/json
{
"data": [
{
"id": "location-uuid",
"name": "Headquarters",
"code": "HQ",
"type": "BUILDING",
"parentId": "city-123",
"ancestors": ["org-456", "region-789", "city-123"],
"createdAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
"updatedAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}
],
"metadata": {
"pagination": {
"page": 1,
"limit": 10,
"total": 25,
"totalPages": 3,
"hasNext": true,
"hasPrev": false
}
}
}
3. Get Location by ID
Retrieves a location by ID with public access.
Request:
- Method:
GET - Path:
/locations/:locationId - Authorization: None required
URL Parameters:
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
locationId | string | ✅ | Unique location identifier |
Response Body:
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
id | string | Unique location identifier |
name | string | Location name |
code | string | Unique location identifier code |
type | string | Location type classification |
parentId | string | Parent location ID (if applicable) |
ancestors | string[] | Array of ancestor location IDs |
createdAt | string | Creation timestamp |
updatedAt | string | Last update timestamp |
Validation:
- Schema Validation: Path parameter validation for locationId
- Route Validators: None
Example Request:
curl http://localhost:8089/locations/loc-123
Success Response:
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/json
{
"id": "loc-123",
"name": "San Francisco",
"code": "SF",
"type": "CITY",
"parentId": "region-456",
"ancestors": ["org-789", "region-456"],
"createdAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
"updatedAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}
4. Update Location
Updates an existing location with partial field modifications and admin authentication.
Request:
- Method:
PATCH - Path:
/locations/:locationId - Headers:
Content-Type: application/json - Authorization: Required (Admin)
URL Parameters:
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
locationId | string | ✅ | Unique location identifier |
Request Body (all fields optional):
| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
name | string | ❌ | Location name |
code | string | ❌ | Unique location identifier code |
type | string | ❌ | Location type classification |
Response Body:
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
id | string | Unique location identifier |
name | string | Updated location name |
code | string | Updated location identifier code |
type | string | Updated location type |
parentId | string | Parent location ID (unchanged) |
ancestors | string[] | Array of ancestor location IDs (unchanged) |
createdAt | string | Creation timestamp |
updatedAt | string | Last update timestamp |
Validation:
- Schema Validation: Enforced automatically (partial updates, limited fields allowed)
- Route Validators:
- Require authenticated request (bearer token)
- Require admin role
Example Request:
curl -X PATCH http://localhost:8089/locations/loc-123 \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer <admin_token>" \
-H "x-nb-fingerprint: <device-fingerprint>" \
-d '{
"name": "Updated Headquarters Name",
"code": "HQ-UPDATED"
}'
Success Response:
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/json
{
"id": "loc-123",
"name": "Updated Headquarters Name",
"code": "HQ-UPDATED",
"type": "BUILDING",
"parentId": "region-456",
"ancestors": ["org-789", "region-456"],
"createdAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
"updatedAt": "2024-01-16T14:20:00Z"
}
5. Delete Location
Deletes an existing location with comprehensive hierarchy validation to prevent orphaned child locations.
Request:
- Method:
DELETE - Path:
/locations/:locationId - Authorization: Required (Admin)
URL Parameters:
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
locationId | string | ✅ | Unique location identifier |
Response Body:
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| No response body | - | Delete endpoint returns no response body on success |
Validation:
- Schema Validation: Path parameter validation for locationId
- Route Validators:
- Require authenticated request (bearer token)
- Require admin role
- Validates no descendant locations exist (prevents deletion if children exist)
Example Request:
curl -X DELETE http://localhost:8089/locations/loc-123 \
-H "Authorization: Bearer <admin_token>" \
-H "x-nb-fingerprint: <device-fingerprint>"
Success Response:
HTTP/1.1 204 No Content
Error Responses:
When location has descendant locations:
HTTP/1.1 409 Conflict
Content-Type: application/json
{
"error": {
"message": "Location has descendant locations"
}
}
When location not found:
HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found
Content-Type: application/json
{
"error": {
"message": "Location not found"
}
}
Location Types
The service supports various location type classifications:
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
ORGANIZATION | Root-level organizational entities | Global Corp, Acme Inc |
REGION | Geographic or administrative regions | West Coast, EMEA, APAC |
CITY | Municipal or urban areas | New York, Tokyo, London |
BUILDING | Physical structures or facilities | HQ Building, Branch Office |
Hierarchical Relationships
Parent-Child Relationships
Locations can have parent-child relationships:
// Create organization (no parent)
const org = await createLocation({
name: 'Tech Corp',
code: 'TECH',
type: 'ORGANIZATION'
});
// Create region under organization
const region = await createLocation({
name: 'West Coast',
code: 'WEST',
type: 'REGION',
parentId: org.id
});
// Create city under region
const city = await createLocation({
name: 'San Francisco',
code: 'SF',
type: 'CITY',
parentId: region.id
});
Ancestor Chains
Each location maintains a complete ancestor chain for efficient hierarchical queries:
{
"id": "building-uuid",
"name": "Headquarters",
"code": "HQ",
"type": "BUILDING",
"parentId": "city-uuid",
"ancestors": ["org-uuid", "region-uuid", "city-uuid"],
"createdAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
"updatedAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}
Authorization & Security
Admin-Only Access
Currently, all location operations require admin privileges:
// Service configuration with admin identity type
const config = {
authSecrets: {
authEncSecret: 'your-encryption-secret',
authSignSecret: 'your-signing-secret'
},
identity: {
typeIds: {
admin: '100', // Admin users
guest: '000', // Guest users
regular: '001' // Regular users
}
}
};
Future Authorization Enhancements
Planned Features:
- Organization-based access control
- Location-type specific permissions
- Email verification requirements
- Hierarchical permission inheritance
Usage Examples
Basic Setup
import express from 'express';
import { locationService } from '@nodeblocks/backend-sdk';
import { withMongo } from '@nodeblocks/backend-sdk/drivers';
const app = express();
// Database setup
const connectToDatabase = withMongo('mongodb://localhost:27017', 'dev', 'user', 'password');
// Service configuration
const locationServiceConfig = {
authSecrets: {
authEncSecret: process.env.AUTH_ENC_SECRET,
authSignSecret: process.env.AUTH_SIGN_SECRET
},
identity: {
typeIds: {
admin: '100',
guest: '000',
regular: '001'
}
}
};
// Data stores
const dataStores = {
...(await connectToDatabase('identities')),
...(await connectToDatabase('locations'))
};
// Mount service
app.use('/api/locations', locationService(dataStores, locationServiceConfig));
Creating Location Hierarchies
// 1. Create root organization
const orgResponse = await fetch('/api/locations', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'Authorization': `Bearer ${adminToken}`,
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
},
body: JSON.stringify({
name: 'Global Enterprises',
code: 'GLOBAL',
type: 'ORGANIZATION'
})
});
// 2. Create regional division
const regionResponse = await fetch('/api/locations', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'Authorization': `Bearer ${adminToken}`,
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
},
body: JSON.stringify({
name: 'North America',
code: 'NA',
type: 'REGION',
parentId: orgResponse.body.id
})
});
// 3. Create city location
const cityResponse = await fetch('/api/locations', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'Authorization': `Bearer ${adminToken}`,
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
},
body: JSON.stringify({
name: 'New York',
code: 'NYC',
type: 'CITY',
parentId: regionResponse.body.id
})
});
// 4. Create building
const buildingResponse = await fetch('/api/locations', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'Authorization': `Bearer ${adminToken}`,
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
},
body: JSON.stringify({
name: 'Manhattan Office',
code: 'MANHATTAN',
type: 'BUILDING',
parentId: cityResponse.body.id
})
});
console.log('Created hierarchy:');
console.log('Organization -> Region -> City -> Building');
Service Architecture
Feature Composition
The location service uses feature composition for modularity:
export const locationService: LocationService = (dataStores, configuration) => {
return defService(
partial(compose(createLocationFeature), [{ configuration, dataStores }])
);
};
Middleware Integration
The service integrates with standard Nodeblocks middleware:
- Authentication: Bearer token validation
- Authorization: Identity type checking
- Error Handling: Structured error responses
- Request Logging: Comprehensive request tracking
Database Considerations
Recommended Indexes
For optimal performance, create these indexes on the locations collection:
// Unique index on location ID
db.locations.createIndex({ id: 1 }, { unique: true });
// Index for parent-child queries
db.locations.createIndex({ parentId: 1 });
// Index for ancestor chain queries
db.locations.createIndex({ ancestors: 1 });
// Compound index for hierarchical queries
db.locations.createIndex({ type: 1, ancestors: 1 });
// Index for code lookups
db.locations.createIndex({ code: 1 }, { unique: true });
Data Consistency
The service ensures data consistency through:
- Atomic Operations: Single transaction for location creation
- Referential Integrity: Parent validation before creation
- Ancestor Accuracy: Automatic ancestor chain calculation
- Unique Constraints: Code uniqueness enforcement
Error Handling
Common Error Responses
Validation Errors (400)
{
"error": {
"data": [
"request body must have required property 'name'",
"request body must have required property 'code'"
],
"message": "Validation Error"
}
}
Authorization Errors (403)
{
"error": {
"message": "Forbidden"
}
}
Not Found Errors (404)
{
"error": {
"message": "Location not found"
}
}
Database Errors (500)
{
"error": {
"message": "Failed to create location"
}
}
Future Enhancements
Planned Features
- Location Retrieval: GET endpoints for location queries
- Location Updates: PATCH endpoints for location modifications
- Location Deletion: DELETE endpoints with cascade options
- Bulk Operations: Bulk creation, update, and deletion
- Advanced Queries: Filtering by type, hierarchy, and custom criteria
- Geographic Features: Coordinate support and geographic queries
- Import/Export: CSV and JSON import/export capabilities
Extended Authorization
- Role-Based Access: Location-specific permissions
- Organization Scoping: Organization-based location access
- Hierarchical Permissions: Permission inheritance through location trees
Migration & Setup
Database Setup
// Create locations collection
db.createCollection('locations');
// Create indexes
db.locations.createIndex({ id: 1 }, { unique: true });
db.locations.createIndex({ parentId: 1 });
db.locations.createIndex({ ancestors: 1 });
db.locations.createIndex({ type: 1, ancestors: 1 });
db.locations.createIndex({ code: 1 }, { unique: true });
Application Integration
// Add to main application
import { locationService } from '@nodeblocks/backend-sdk';
// Configure and mount
const locationConfig = { /* configuration */ };
const locationDataStores = { /* data stores */ };
app.use('/api/locations', locationService(locationDataStores, locationConfig));
Testing
Service Testing
import { locationService } from '@nodeblocks/backend-sdk';
import request from 'supertest';
// Test service integration
describe('Location Service', () => {
it('Should create locations with proper hierarchy', async () => {
const app = express();
app.use('/locations', locationService(dataStores, config));
const response = await request(app)
.post('/locations')
.set('Authorization', `Bearer ${adminToken}`)
.send({
name: 'Test Location',
code: 'TEST',
type: 'BUILDING'
});
expect(response.status).toBe(201);
expect(response.body.ancestors).toEqual([]);
});
});
The Location Service provides a solid foundation for hierarchical location management with room for future expansion and enhanced functionality.