reference-field-manager

What problem does it solve?

This skill ensures data integrity by managing the full lifecycle of embedded reference fields between two Express.js + MongoDB resources. When a referencing model uses fields from a referenced model, missing any part of the reference lifecycle (schemas, validation, trails, usage checks) can lead to hard-to-trace data inconsistencies.

Core Features & Use Cases

• Generate and wire Mongoose ref schemas (models/schemas) and Yup ref schemas for the referenced entity.
• Update the referencing model validation and trails to propagate changes when the referenced document is updated or deleted.
• Add usage checks and route groundwork (normalization) to prevent orphaned references across controllers.
• Real-world use: connect Product and Category by embedding a category reference with id, name, and slug, and keep all dependent docs in sync.

Quick Start

Identify the Referencing model (A) and Referenced model (B), then generate the ref schemas, trail functions, and controller wiring following the workflow.