NodeJS: Insert record in dynamodb if not exist - node.js

Question

I need to store user's info in DynamoDB and send a mail to the same user if it doesn't already exist in DynamoDB table. I am doing this in for loop. The list contains only 2 records. The issue is only the second record gets inserted in table and the mail is sent twice to the same user. Here is the code:
module.exports.AddUser = function(req, res, usersList, departmentId) {
var _emailId = "";
var _userName = "";
var _departmentId = departmentId;
for (var i = 0; i < usersList.length; i++) {
_emailId = usersList[i].emailId;
_userName = usersList[i].userName;
var params = {
TableName: "UsersTable",
Key: {
"emailId": _emailId,
"departmentId": _departmentId
}
};
docClient.get(params, function(err, data) {
if (!err) {
if (!data.items)
AddUserAndSendEmail("UsersTable", _emailId, _userName);
//The above function is being called twice but for the same user.
//It has a check so not inserting the same record twice but
//sending two mails to the same user.
}
});
}
res.end("success");
}
function AddUserAndSendEmail(tableName, emailId, _userName) {
var params = {
TableName: tableName,
Item: {
"emailId": emailId,
"departmentId": 101//Default Department
}
};
docClient.put(params, function(err, data) {
if (!err) {
//Send Email Code Here
} else {
console.log("error");
}
});
}
What could be the reason for this strange behavior? Really frustrated, I am about to give up on this.

Answer 1

1) Please note that DynamoDB is eventually consistent. If you insert the item and check whether the item exists immediately, it may not always find the item in the database.
This means the second iteration of the loop may not always find the first item inserted into the table.
2) If the item already exists in the table, the Put api will update the item and give successful response.
This means the Put will be successful for the same email id and department id in the second iteration because it updates the record if it is already present.
GetItem – The GetItem operation returns a set of Attributes for an
item that matches the primary key. The GetItem operation provides an
eventually consistent read by default. If eventually consistent reads
are not acceptable for your application, use ConsistentRead.
PutItem – Creates a new item, or replaces an old item with a new item
(including all the attributes). If an item already exists in the
specified table with the same primary key, the new item completely
replaces the existing item. You can also use conditional operators to
replace an item only if its attribute values match certain conditions,
or to insert a new item only if that item doesn’t already exist.
Based on the above points, there is a possibility to get two emails if you have same email id and department id in the array.