MongoDB Mongoose schema design - node.js

Question

I have a schema design question. I have a UserSchema and a PostSchema.
var User = new Schema({
name: String
});
var Post = new Schema({
user: { type: Schema.Types.ObjectId }
});
Also, user is able to follow other users. Post can be liked by other users.
I would like to query User's followers and User's following, with mongoose features such as limit, skip, sort, etc. I also want to query Post that a user likes.
Basically, my only attempt of solving this is to keep double reference in each schema. The schemas become
var User = new Schema({
name: String,
followers: [{ type: Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: "User" }],
following: [{ type: Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: "User" }]
});
var Post = new Schema({
creator: { type: Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: "User" },
userLikes: [{ type: Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: "User" }]
});
so, the code that will be used to query
// Find posts that I create
Post.find({creator: myId}, function(err, post) { ... });
// Find posts that I like
Post.find({userLikes: myId}, function(err, post) { ... });
// Find users that I follow
User.find({followers: myId}, function(err, user) { ... });
// Find users that follow me
User.find({following: myId}, function(err, user) { ... });
Is there a way other than doing double reference like this that seems error prone?

Answer 1

Actally, you don't need the double reference. Let's assume you keep the following reference.
var User = new Schema({
name: String,
following: [{ type: Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: "User" }]
});
You can use .populate() to get the users you're following:
EDIT: added skip/limit options to show example for pagination
User.findById(myId).populate({ path:'following', options: { skip: 20, limit: 10 } }).exec(function(err, user) {
if (err) {
// handle err
}
if (user) {
// user.following[] <-- contains a populated array of users you're following
}
});
And, as you've already mentioned ...
User.find({following: myId}).exec(function(err, users) { ... });
... retrieves the users that are following you.