Resolving the insertMany is not an object Error in Mongoose for MongoDB

Discover how to fix the common error message, "`insertMany is not an object`" in Mongoose when trying to add multiple documents in MongoDB from a React app.
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Understanding the insertMany is not an object Error in Mongoose

If you have been working with a React application and MongoDB using Mongoose, you might have encountered the following error message: "insertMany is not an object." This error usually indicates that the method you are trying to invoke does not exist in the context it's being called.

In this post, we will explore what causes this error and how to correctly implement the insertMany method to successfully add multiple documents to your MongoDB database.

The Problem: Implementing Multiple Inserts

You may have been trying to build a route in your React app that allows you to add multiple items at once to a MongoDB collection. Here’s a simplified version of the code that might be causing the error:

Model Definition

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Route Configuration

You may be setting up your route like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Raw JSON Input

The JSON input you are testing with in Postman could look something like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Here, you want to insert multiple authors in one go, but the route is producing an error. Let’s dive into the solution.

The Solution: Correct Way to Use insertMany

Understanding How to Use insertMany

The insertMany function is available on the model itself rather than on an instance of the model (i.e., new Author()). This means that you should call insertMany directly from the Author model, and not from an instance created using new Author.

Correct Implementation

Here’s how to correctly implement the insertMany method:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Request Body Format

It is crucial to make sure your request body looks like this when using the above code:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Key Takeaways

Invoke insertMany on the Model: Eliminate the confusion about calling insertMany on an instance; it should always be called on the Mongoose model.

Proper JSON Structure: Ensure that the API is receiving the expected structured JSON.

Error Handling: Implement error handling using then and catch to manage success and failure responses efficiently.

Conclusion

By adjusting your approach to using the insertMany method as outlined, you should be able to eliminate the error and successfully insert multiple documents into your MongoDB collection.

Make sure to test your route after making these changes and happy coding!