Saving Sequelize Record/Referencing it in Another Model - node.js

Question

I have a postrgresql/Sequelize model called Segment, which belongs to many models:
module.exports = (sequelize, DataTypes) => {
const Segment = sequelize.define(
'segment',
{
id: {
type: DataTypes.INTEGER,
autoIncrement: true,
primaryKey: true
},
provider_id: {
type: DataTypes.INTEGER,
references: {
model: 'provider',
key: 'id'
}
},
summary_id: {
type: DataTypes.INTEGER,
references: {
model: 'summary',
key: 'id'
}
},
audience_id: {
type: DataTypes.INTEGER,
references: {
model: 'audience',
key: 'id'
}
},
onboarding_id: {
type: DataTypes.INTEGER,
references: {
model: 'onboarding',
key: 'id'
}
}
},
{
// disable the modification of table names; By default, sequelize will automatically
// transform all passed model names (first parameter of define) into plural.
// if you don't want that, set the following
freezeTableName: true,
tableName: 'segment'
}
);
Segment.associate = models => {
Segment.belongsTo(models.Provider, { foreignKey: 'id' });
Segment.belongsTo(models.Summary, { foreignKey: 'id' });
Segment.belongsTo(models.Audience, { foreignKey: 'id' });
Segment.belongsTo(models.Onboarding, { foreignKey: 'id' });
};
return Segment;
};
The models that segment has associations to (ie provider_id, summary_id, audience_id, onboarding_id) look like this:
Provider:
module.exports = (sequelize, DataTypes) => {
const Provider = sequelize.define(
'provider',
{
id: {
type: DataTypes.INTEGER,
autoIncrement: true,
primaryKey: true
},
providerName: {
type: DataTypes.STRING
},
email: {
type: DataTypes.STRING
},
privacyPolicy: {
type: DataTypes.STRING
}
},
{
freezeTableName: true,
tableName: 'provider'
}
);
Provider.associate = models => {
Provider.hasMany(models.Segment, { foreignKey: 'provider_id' });
};
return Provider;
};
Summary:
module.exports = (sequelize, DataTypes) => {
const Summary = sequelize.define(
'summary',
{
id: {
type: DataTypes.INTEGER,
autoIncrement: true,
primaryKey: true
},
summaryName: DataTypes.STRING,
standardIdName: DataTypes.STRING,
description: DataTypes.STRING,
},
{
freezeTableName: true,
tableName: 'summary'
}
);
Summary.associate = models => {
Summary.hasMany(models.Segment, { foreignKey: 'summary_id' });
};
return Summary;
};
Audience:
module.exports = (sequelize, DataTypes) => {
const Audience = sequelize.define(
'audience',
{
id: {
type: DataTypes.INTEGER,
autoIncrement: true,
primaryKey: true
},
refreshCadence: DataTypes.STRING,
sourceLookbackWindow: DataTypes.STRING
},
{
freezeTableName: true,
tableName: 'audience'
}
);
Audience.associate = models => {
Audience.hasMany(models.Segment, { foreignKey: 'audience_id' });
};
return Audience;
};
Onboarding:
module.exports = (sequelize, DataTypes) => {
const Onboarding = sequelize.define(
'onboarding',
{
id: {
type: DataTypes.INTEGER,
autoIncrement: true,
primaryKey: true
},
onboardingExpansions: DataTypes.STRING,
onboardingAudiencePrecision: DataTypes.STRING
},
{
freezeTableName: true,
tableName: 'onboarding'
}
);
Onboarding.associate = models => {
Onboarding.hasMany(models.Segment, { foreignKey: 'onboarding_id' });
};
return Onboarding;
};
My question is: what should come first when creating and saving a Segment record? Do I create and save each one of the other models first (provider, summary, audience, onboarding), and then create/save a Segment with references to those ids? I don't really know what the order of events should be in this situation. Any help is much appreciated! Thanks!

Answer 1

TLDR:
In order to create an instance of Segment, you must have all 4 foreign keys reference exist records on the referenced tables(provider, summary, audience and onboarding).
Explanation:
provider, summary, audience and onboarding tables are independent.
However, Segment model is not independent.
Segment model has 4 columns which are foreign keys.
From PostgresSql Tutorial:
A foreign key is a field or group of fields in a table that uniquely
identifies a row in another table. In other words, a foreign key is
defined in a table that references to the primary key of the other
table.
The table that contains the foreign key is called referencing table or
child table. And the table to which the foreign key references is
called referenced table or parent table.
It means that a foreign key is a constraint that the column should reference the primary key of the referenced table.
So, you must create all the resources of a created row of Segment.