Nestjs Api Standards

---
name: nestjs-api-standards
description: Create standardized API response envelopes, paginated endpoints, and error interceptors in NestJS. Use when implementing response wrappers, pagination DTOs, or global error formats.
license: MIT
version: 1.0.0
author: "[Filippo De Silva](https://github.com/FilippoDeSilva)"
tags:
  - nestjs
  - api
  - response
  - pagination
  - error
      
metadata:
  triggers:
    files:
    - '**/*.controller.ts'
    - '**/*.dto.ts'
    keywords:
    - ApiResponse
    - Pagination
    - TransformInterceptor
---
# NestJS API Standards & Common Patterns

## **Priority: P1 (OPERATIONAL)**

## Workflow: Standardize API Endpoint

1. **Create Response DTO** — Define dedicated DTO for every endpoint return type.
2. **Map entity to DTO** — Use `plainToInstance(UserResponseDto, user)` in service or controller.
3. **Apply TransformInterceptor** — Bind globally to wrap all responses in `{ statusCode, data, meta }`.
4. **Add nested validation** — Decorate nested DTO properties with `@ValidateNested()` + `@Type()`.
5. **Document with Swagger** — Apply `@ApiResponse({ status, type })` with exact types per endpoint.

## Response Wrapper Example

See [implementation examples](references/implementation.md)

## Entity-to-DTO Mapping Example

See [implementation examples](references/implementation.md)

## Deep Validation (Critical)

- **[Rule] Nested Validation**: Object/array DTO properties require `@ValidateNested()` + `@Type(() => TargetDto)` from `class-transformer`.

## Pagination Standards

- **DTOs**: Use strict `PageOptionsDto` (page/take/order) and `PageDto<T>` (data/meta).
- **Swagger Logic**: Generics require `ApiExtraModels` and schema path resolution.
- **Reference**: See [Pagination Wrapper Implementation](references/pagination-wrapper.md) for complete `ApiPaginatedResponse` decorator code.

## Custom Error Response

- **Standard Error Object**: Define `ApiErrorResponse` with `statusCode`, `message`, `error`, `timestamp`, `path`. See [Error Response Class](references/error-response.md).
- **Docs**: Apply `@ApiBadRequestResponse({ type: ApiErrorResponse })` globally or per controller.

## Anti-Patterns

- **No raw entity returns**: Always map to Response DTO; raw entities leak internal fields.
- **No unvalidated nested DTOs**: Use `@ValidateNested()` + `@Type()` for all nested object properties.
- **No generic 200 docs**: Apply `@ApiResponse({ status, type })` with exact types per endpoint.

## References

- [Pagination Wrapper](references/pagination-wrapper.md)
- [Error Response Class](references/error-response.md)