Launching a new project with PostgreSQL for NestJS development can be efficiently managed by running a local PostgreSQL instance in Docker. This setup includes a Dockerfile for the NestJS application, a docker-compose.yml file to connect Node and PostgreSQL, and an .env file for environment variables.
The Dockerfile specifies a Node environment, while the docker-compose.yml file configures services for both the database and the API. The database service uses the PostgreSQL image, and the API service builds from the Dockerfile, ensuring that the database persists through reboots.
An .env file is created to store configuration details such as database user, password, and database name. Additionally, package.json scripts are enhanced for quick access to the database and application containers.
In the NestJS application, the main startup file initializes the app, and a TypeORM configuration file is provided for database connection settings.
Common development commands include starting the services, viewing logs, tearing down containers, and accessing the database and application shells.