Resolving the Node.js + MongoDB Password Hashing Issue

Are you struggling to save a hashed password in MongoDB using Node.js? This guide explains the common pitfalls and how to resolve the "User validation failed: password: Path `password` is required" error.
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This video is based on the question stackoverflow.com/q/75455162/ asked by the user 'ArisRS' ( stackoverflow.com/u/377760/ ) and on the answer stackoverflow.com/a/75455358/ provided by the user 'Huy Duy' ( stackoverflow.com/u/10984284/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Introduction

When working with user authentication in Node.js applications, hashing passwords before saving them in a database is essential for security. Many developers use libraries like bcrypt to safely hash passwords. However, sometimes you may encounter errors during the process, such as the often-seen message: "User validation failed: password: Path password is required." This error indicates an issue with how the password is being saved in your MongoDB database.

In this guide, we will break down the problem and provide a clear solution to ensure that your hashed password is stored correctly.

The Problem

To illustrate the situation, let's examine the Node.js code snippet that is likely causing the issue:

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

Based on this model, you are defining a schema for a user, which includes an email and a password. The problem arises when you create a new user:

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

In the above code, you correctly hash the password, but you are attempting to save it under the key hashPassword, which does not match the schema's requirement for the password field.

The Solution

To resolve the issue, you need to ensure that the hashed password is being saved under the correct field name defined in your schema. Here’s how you can fix the code:

Step 1: Correctly Map the Hashed Password

Change this line in your code:

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

To the following:

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

By mapping the hashed password to the correct password field in the model, you adhere to the schema, which requires that the password field is filled with a valid string.

Step 2: Verify the Changes

After making the above change, your updated code block should look like this:

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

With this adjustment, you should no longer encounter the user validation error when attempting to save a new user.

Conclusion

In summary, while hashing passwords is crucial for user security in applications, it is equally important to ensure that these hashes are stored correctly in your database. Always double-check the keys you are using in your create operations to match your Mongoose schema.

If you still experience issues after this adjustment, consider inspecting other parts of your application for different validation errors or configuration issues. Happy coding, and stay secure!