Sign up and log in, Express, React, Node, Psql - node.js

Question

I am trying to create signup and Login for the first time with express and react using PostgreSQL. My post works just fine. A user can be added to the database so I jumped into handling duplicates.
I am using the findUserByEmail function to find my email and then, in my routes, create the user if it does not exist.
I tried everything and still is giving me problems. I manage to get it working by just returning the query, without a response, which I don't think is right:
const findUserByEmail = (req, response) => {
return pool.query("SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = $1", [req.body.email])
};
Although, I need the response to handle the errors.
The way that I found more common and is how I am trying is:
const findUserByEmail = (req, response) => {
pool.query("SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = $1", [req.body.email]),
(error, results) => {
if (error) {
throw error;
}
response.json(results.rows);
};
};
And when I call it here:
app.post("/signup/user", (req, res, next) => {
queries
.findUserByEmail(req, res)
.then(user => {
if (user.rows.length > 0) {
res.status(400).send("this email is already in use");
} else {
queries.createUser(req.body, res);
}
})
.catch(err => {
console.log(err);
res.status(500).send("Something went wrong");
});
});
But the error is:
Cannot read property 'then' of undefined
If anybody can give me a hand cause I've been 2/3 weeks just for the authentication.
I'll leave my repo if anybody wants to have a look, is a bit messy though.
https://github.com/jaitone/CRUD-in-JS
Thank you!

Answer 1

if you are using pg as part of your project. then:
const findUserByEmail = (req, response) => { // send just email instead
return pool.query("SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = $1", [req.body.email])
};
Is completely legal and beautiful. The library creates a promise and returns it.
I manage to get it working by just returning the query
It is not returning the query, it is returning the mechanism to run the query in a promise wrapper(to be run in the future). So when you do .then it will actually execute and return the result. BUT
If you want to do it manually:
In the findUserByEmail you are not returning a Promise, instead you are just ending the request chain by saying res.json(which in turn means you are returning undefined).
You can create a Promise wrapper or use util.promisfy to make the pool.query a promise.
const findUserByEmail = (req, response) => { // send just email instead
return new Promise((resolve, reject)=>{
pool.query("SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = $1", [req.body.email]),
(error, results) => {
if (error) {
reject(error);
}
resolve(results.rows);
};
});
};
Note, sending the email instead of whole req and res objects is a good idea.