Indian Cities Database

Common errors

• TypeError: Cannot destructure property 'cities' of 'indianCitiesDatabase' as it is undefined.

  cause Attempting to use ES Modules `import { cities } from 'indian-cities-database';` in a CommonJS context or vice-versa, or incorrectly accessing a non-existent export.
  fix Ensure you are using CommonJS `const { cities } = require('indian-cities-database');` as the library is CJS-only. If `cities` is undefined after `require`, verify the package installation and the correct property name.

• MongooseError: The `uri` parameter to `openUri()` must be a string, got 'undefined'.

  cause When attempting to use `pushToDatabase`, Mongoose is trying to connect to a database but the connection URI (or other connection options) is not being provided or is incorrect. This function uses its own internal Mongoose instance.
  fix The `pushToDatabase` function has optional arguments: `databaseName`, `collectionName`, and `callback`. Ensure that if you are providing a database name, it's a valid string. If Mongoose is trying to connect without a URI, it likely defaults to `mongodb://localhost:27017/` which might require a running local MongoDB instance. Check the underlying `populate.js` file for default connection logic.

Warnings

• breaking The `pushToDatabase` method irrevocably removes the specified MongoDB collection (if it exists) before repopulating it with city data. This is a destructive operation and should be used with extreme caution.
  Fix: Ensure critical data is backed up or use this method only on non-production or new collections. Manually inspect the `populate.js` script in the package source for its exact behavior if concerned.
• gotcha Calling `pushToDatabase` within an API or frequently-executed code can lead to database connection collisions, as the method creates its own Mongoose connection. This can disrupt existing database connections in your application.
  Fix: It is strongly recommended to run `pushToDatabase` as a one-off script (e.g., `node populate.js` as suggested in the README) during development or deployment, rather than embedding it directly into runtime application logic.
• gotcha This package is CommonJS-only and does not provide ESM exports. Direct `import` statements will fail in pure ESM Node.js environments.
  Fix: Use `const packageName = require('indian-cities-database');` for all imports. In ESM projects, you might need a wrapper or dynamic import (`await import('indian-cities-database')`) if absolutely necessary, but it's not officially supported.
• deprecated The package has not received updates since September 2016 (version 1.0.5). The city data might be outdated, and there will be no future bug fixes, security updates, or feature enhancements.
  Fix: Consider validating the data against current Indian city/state lists. For production applications requiring up-to-date geographical data or active maintenance, explore alternative actively maintained libraries or datasets.

Install

• npm install indian-cities-database npm
• yarn add indian-cities-database yarn
• pnpm add indian-cities-database pnpm

Imports

• cities
  wrong:

  import { cities } from 'indian-cities-database';

  correct:

  const { cities } = require('indian-cities-database');

  The `cities` array is a direct property of the main module export. The package is CommonJS only.
• pushToDatabase
  wrong:

  import { pushToDatabase } from 'indian-cities-database';

  correct:

  const { pushToDatabase } = require('indian-cities-database');

  The `pushToDatabase` function is a direct property of the main module export. The package is CommonJS only.
• citySchema
  wrong:

  import { citySchema } from 'indian-cities-database';

  correct:

  const { citySchema } = require('indian-cities-database');

  The `citySchema` (Mongoose schema) is a direct property of the main module export. The package is CommonJS only.

Quickstart

Demonstrates how to import the package and access the static `cities` array. Also hints at schema usage.

const indianCitiesDatabase = require('indian-cities-database');

// Get the full list of cities and states
const cities = indianCitiesDatabase.cities;

console.log(`Total cities found: ${cities.length}`);
console.log('First 5 cities:');
cities.slice(0, 5).forEach(city => {
  console.log(`  - ${city.city}, ${city.state}`);
});

// Example of accessing the Mongoose schema (requires Mongoose to be installed separately)
// Note: This won't run without 'mongoose' installed and a MongoDB connection.
// try {
//   const mongoose = require('mongoose');
//   const citySchema = indianCitiesDatabase.citySchema;
//   citySchema.set('collection', 'my_cities_collection');
//   const MyCity = mongoose.model('MyCity', citySchema);
//   console.log('Mongoose City Model created successfully (schema only).');
// } catch (e) {
//   console.warn('Mongoose or MongoDB not available, skipping schema example:', e.message);
// }