> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ilanaorm.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Introduction
> Welcome to IlanaORM - A powerful, Eloquent-style ORM for Node.js
## What is IlanaORM?
**Ìlànà** (pronounced "ee-LAH-nah") is a Yoruba word meaning "pattern," "system," or "protocol."
IlanaORM is a fully-featured, Eloquent-style Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) library for Node.js that makes database interactions simple and intuitive. Think of it as a bridge between your JavaScript/TypeScript code and your database.
Start building with simple, readable syntax that makes sense
Automatic TypeScript support with full type safety
Works with PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite out of the box
Familiar patterns if you've used Laravel's Eloquent ORM
## Why Choose IlanaORM?
### 🚀 **Easy to Learn**
If you're new to ORMs, IlanaORM uses simple, English-like methods that make database operations intuitive:
```javascript theme={null}
// Instead of writing SQL like this:
// SELECT * FROM users WHERE age > 18 AND is_active = true
// You write this:
const users = await User.query()
.where("age", ">", 18)
.where("is_active", true)
.get();
```
### 🛡️ **Type Safe**
Automatic TypeScript support means fewer bugs and better developer experience:
```typescript theme={null}
const user = await User.find(1); // TypeScript knows this is a User instance
user.name = "John"; // ✅ Valid
user.invalidProperty = "test"; // ❌ TypeScript error
```
### 🔗 **Powerful Relationships**
Define how your data connects with simple relationship methods:
```javascript theme={null}
class User extends Model {
posts() {
return this.hasMany("Post"); // A user has many posts
}
}
// Load user with all their posts
const user = await User.with("posts").find(1);
```
### 🏗️ **Complete Toolkit**
Everything you need for database management:
* **Models** - Represent your data
* **Migrations** - Version control for your database
* **Seeders** - Populate your database with test data
* **Factories** - Generate realistic fake data
* **Query Builder** - Build complex queries with ease
## What You'll Learn
This documentation will teach you:
How databases work, what tables and relationships are, and why ORMs are
useful
Installation, configuration, and connecting to your database
How to represent your data as JavaScript/TypeScript classes
Finding, filtering, and retrieving data from your database
How to connect different types of data together
Events, observers, custom casting, and performance optimization
## Ready to Start?
Get IlanaORM up and running in 5 minutes
**New to databases?** Don't worry! This documentation explains everything from
the ground up. We'll start with the basics and gradually introduce more
advanced concepts.