Which SchemaType in Mongoose is Best for Timestamp?

I'm using Mongoose, MongoDB, and Node.

I would like to define a schema where one of its fields is a date\timestamp.

I would like to use this field in order to return all of the records that have been updated in the last 5 minutes.

Due to the fact that in Mongoose I can't use the Timestamp() method I understand that my only option is to use the following Javascript method:

time : { type: Number, default: (new Date()).getTime() } 

It's probably not the most efficient way for querying a humongous DB. I would really appreciate it if someone could share a more efficient way of implementing this.

Is there any way to implement this with Mongoose and be able to use a MongoDB timestamp?

Edit - 20 March 2016

Mongoose now support timestamps for collections.

Please consider the answer of @bobbyz below. Maybe this is what you are looking for.

Original answer

Mongoose supports a Date type (which is basically a timestamp):

time : { type : Date, default: Date.now }

With the above field definition, any time you save a document with an unset time field, Mongoose will fill in this field with the current time.

Source: http://mongoosejs.com/docs/guide.html

The current version of Mongoose (v4.x) has time stamping as a built-in option to a schema:

var mySchema = new mongoose.Schema( {name: String}, {timestamps: true} );

This option adds createdAt and updatedAt properties that are timestamped with a Date, and which does all the work for you. Any time you update the document, it updates the updatedAt property. Schema Timestamps Docs.

In case you want custom names for your createdAt and updatedAt

const mongoose = require('mongoose');  
const { Schema } = mongoose;
    
const schemaOptions = {
  timestamps: { createdAt: 'created_at', updatedAt: 'updated_at' },
};

const mySchema = new Schema({ name: String }, schemaOptions);

var ItemSchema = new Schema({
    name : { type: String }
});

ItemSchema.set('timestamps', true); // this will add createdAt and updatedAt timestamps

Docs: https://mongoosejs.com/docs/guide.html#timestamps

new mongoose.Schema({
    description: {
        type: String,
        required: true,
        trim: true
    },
    completed: {
        type: Boolean,
        default: false
    },
    owner: {
        type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,
        required: true,
        ref: 'User'
    }
}, {
    timestamps: true
});

Mongoose now supports the timestamps in schema.

const item = new Schema(
  {
    id: {
      type: String,
      required: true,
    },
  { timestamps: true },
);

This will add the createdAt and updatedAt fields on each record create.

Timestamp interface has fields

  interface SchemaTimestampsConfig {
    createdAt?: boolean | string;
    updatedAt?: boolean | string;
    currentTime?: () => (Date | number);
  }

This would help us to choose which fields we want and overwrite the date format.

> I would like to use this field in order to return all the records that have been updated in the last 5 minutes.

This means you need to update the date to "now" every time you save the object. Maybe you'll find this useful: Moongoose create-modified plugin

First : npm install mongoose-timestamp

Next: let Timestamps = require('mongoose-timestamp')

Next: let MySchema = new Schema

Next: MySchema.plugin(Timestamps)

Next : const Collection = mongoose.model('Collection',MySchema)

Then you can use the Collection.createdAt or Collection.updatedAt anywhere your want.

Created on: Date Of The Week Month Date Year 00:00:00 GMT

Time is in this format.