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NestJS Enterprise Backend APIs · Lección

Cargas multipart con interceptors de Multer

Configure FileInterceptor y FilesInterceptor para aceptar cargas de uno o varios archivos con límites de tamaño.

Cargas multipart con interceptors de Multer es una lección gratuita de NestJS Enterprise Backend APIs en CoddyKit. Esta es la lección 1 de 4. Puedes leer la lección completa abajo gratuitamente — luego la practicas en el navegador con un editor de código integrado y un tutor de IA 24/7. Forma parte de la ruta de aprendizaje de NestJS Enterprise Backend APIs, y tu progreso se sincroniza en la web y la app de CoddyKit. El curso de NestJS Enterprise Backend APIs incluye 4 lecciones en total.

Partes de esta lección aún no han sido traducidas y se muestran en inglés.

Why Multer for Uploads

HTTP file uploads use the multipart/form-data content type, which splits the request body into parts: text fields and binary file payloads separated by a boundary marker.

NestJS does not parse this format on its own. Instead it ships first-class wrappers around Multer, the de-facto Express middleware for multipart parsing. You consume Multer through interceptors rather than wiring middleware manually.

  • FileInterceptor — one file from a single field
  • FilesInterceptor — many files from one field
  • FileFieldsInterceptor — files across several named fields

This lesson focuses on the first two and on enforcing size limits.

Installing the Types

The interceptors live in @nestjs/platform-express, which is already present in a standard Nest app. You only need the Multer type definitions to type your handler parameters correctly.

Install the dev dependency so Express.Multer.File is recognized by TypeScript:

npm install -D @types/multer

// Now Express.Multer.File is available globally in TypeScript.
// It describes the in-memory/disk file object Multer attaches
// to the request, e.g. originalname, mimetype, size, buffer, path.

Single File with FileInterceptor

Bind FileInterceptor('field') with @UseInterceptors, where the string is the name of the form-data field carrying the file. Then read the parsed file with the @UploadedFile() decorator.

The decorated parameter is a single Express.Multer.File. Notice the parameter name in the form does not need to match the handler argument — only the interceptor's field string matters.

import { Controller, Post, UploadedFile, UseInterceptors } from '@nestjs/common';
import { FileInterceptor } from '@nestjs/platform-express';

@Controller('avatars')
export class AvatarsController {
  @Post()
  @UseInterceptors(FileInterceptor('avatar'))
  upload(@UploadedFile() file: Express.Multer.File) {
    return {
      name: file.originalname,
      type: file.mimetype,
      size: file.size,
    };
  }
}

Memory vs Disk Storage

By default Multer uses memory storage: the whole file lands in file.buffer as a Buffer. That is convenient for forwarding to S3 or processing in-process, but large files can exhaust RAM.

For local persistence use disk storage, where Multer streams to a path and gives you file.path instead of a buffer. Pass options as the second argument of the interceptor.

import { diskStorage } from 'multer';
import { extname } from 'path';
import { randomUUID } from 'crypto';

export const imageStorage = diskStorage({
  destination: './uploads/images',
  filename: (_req, file, cb) => {
    const unique = randomUUID();
    cb(null, `${unique}${extname(file.originalname)}`);
  },
});

// Usage:
// @UseInterceptors(FileInterceptor('photo', { storage: imageStorage }))

Enforcing a Size Limit

Never trust client-declared sizes. Cap the bytes Multer will accept via the limits.fileSize option (in bytes). When a file exceeds it, Multer aborts and Nest surfaces a 413-style error before your handler runs.

Combine fileSize with files to also bound the count of files in a multi-upload.

import { FileInterceptor } from '@nestjs/platform-express';

const FIVE_MB = 5 * 1024 * 1024;

@Post('avatar')
@UseInterceptors(
  FileInterceptor('avatar', {
    limits: { fileSize: FIVE_MB },
  }),
)
upload(@UploadedFile() file: Express.Multer.File) {
  return { stored: file.originalname };
}

Computing Limits Safely

Express limits are expressed in raw bytes, which is easy to get wrong by an order of magnitude. A tiny pure helper keeps the math explicit and testable, and it runs anywhere with no framework.

Below, mb converts megabytes to bytes and we sanity-check a candidate upload size against a cap.

function mb(n: number): number {
  return n * 1024 * 1024;
}

function withinLimit(sizeBytes: number, capMb: number): boolean {
  return sizeBytes <= mb(capMb);
}

const FILE_CAP_MB = 5;
console.log('5MB in bytes:', mb(FILE_CAP_MB));
console.log(withinLimit(mb(4), FILE_CAP_MB));   // true
console.log(withinLimit(mb(6), FILE_CAP_MB));   // false
console.log(withinLimit(5_242_880, FILE_CAP_MB)); // true (exactly 5MB)

Multiple Files with FilesInterceptor

FilesInterceptor('field', maxCount, options) accepts several files sent under the same field name. Read them with @UploadedFiles(), which yields an array.

The maxCount argument is a hard ceiling on how many files Nest will collect; extras trigger an error. Pair it with limits.fileSize for per-file byte caps.

import { Controller, Post, UploadedFiles, UseInterceptors } from '@nestjs/common';
import { FilesInterceptor } from '@nestjs/platform-express';

@Controller('gallery')
export class GalleryController {
  @Post()
  @UseInterceptors(
    FilesInterceptor('photos', 10, {
      limits: { fileSize: 5 * 1024 * 1024 },
    }),
  )
  upload(@UploadedFiles() files: Express.Multer.File[]) {
    return files.map((f) => ({ name: f.originalname, size: f.size }));
  }
}

Filtering by MIME Type

Size limits do not stop the wrong file type. Use fileFilter to accept or reject each part as it streams. Call the callback with (null, true) to keep a file or with an error to reject it.

Rejecting with a BadRequestException produces a clean 400 instead of a generic failure.

import { BadRequestException } from '@nestjs/common';
import { Request } from 'express';

export function imageFileFilter(
  _req: Request,
  file: Express.Multer.File,
  cb: (error: Error | null, accept: boolean) => void,
) {
  const allowed = ['image/png', 'image/jpeg', 'image/webp'];
  if (!allowed.includes(file.mimetype)) {
    return cb(new BadRequestException('Only PNG, JPEG, or WebP allowed'), false);
  }
  cb(null, true);
}

Validating with ParseFilePipe

Nest's built-in ParseFilePipe validates the already-parsed file declaratively inside the handler. It composes validators like MaxFileSizeValidator and FileTypeValidator, returning a 422 when they fail.

This is complementary to Multer's limits: Multer guards the stream, the pipe guards your business rules and gives clearer error messages.

import {
  ParseFilePipe,
  MaxFileSizeValidator,
  FileTypeValidator,
  UploadedFile,
} from '@nestjs/common';

@Post('avatar')
@UseInterceptors(FileInterceptor('avatar'))
upload(
  @UploadedFile(
    new ParseFilePipe({
      validators: [
        new MaxFileSizeValidator({ maxSize: 5 * 1024 * 1024 }),
        new FileTypeValidator({ fileType: /(png|jpe?g|webp)$/ }),
      ],
    }),
  )
  file: Express.Multer.File,
) {
  return { ok: true, name: file.originalname };
}

Centralizing Config with a Factory

Repeating storage, limits, and filters on every route is error-prone. Extract a single MulterOptions object (or a factory) and reuse it. Enterprise apps often register defaults globally via MulterModule.register() and override per-route only when needed.

This keeps caps consistent and makes raising a limit a one-line change.

import { MulterOptions } from '@nestjs/platform-express/multer/interfaces/multer-options.interface';
import { diskStorage } from 'multer';
import { imageFileFilter } from './image-file.filter';

export const imageUploadOptions: MulterOptions = {
  storage: diskStorage({ destination: './uploads/images' }),
  limits: { fileSize: 5 * 1024 * 1024, files: 10 },
  fileFilter: imageFileFilter,
};

// @UseInterceptors(FilesInterceptor('photos', 10, imageUploadOptions))

Handling the Size-Limit Error

When limits.fileSize is exceeded, Multer throws an error whose code is 'LIMIT_FILE_SIZE'. By default Nest wraps it, but you can map it to a friendly payload with an exception filter so clients get a clear, consistent message.

Translating low-level Multer codes into HTTP responses is a hallmark of production-grade upload endpoints.

import { ExceptionFilter, Catch, ArgumentsHost, HttpStatus } from '@nestjs/common';
import { MulterError } from 'multer';
import { Response } from 'express';

@Catch(MulterError)
export class MulterExceptionFilter implements ExceptionFilter {
  catch(err: MulterError, host: ArgumentsHost) {
    const res = host.switchToHttp().getResponse<Response>();
    const status =
      err.code === 'LIMIT_FILE_SIZE'
        ? HttpStatus.PAYLOAD_TOO_LARGE
        : HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST;
    res.status(status).json({ statusCode: status, message: err.message });
  }
}

Quick Check

Test your understanding of choosing the right interceptor and reading its result.

Recap

You can now wire multipart uploads end to end in NestJS:

  • FileInterceptor('field', options) + @UploadedFile() for one file.
  • FilesInterceptor('field', maxCount, options) + @UploadedFiles() for many files under one field.
  • limits.fileSize (bytes) caps stream size; limits.files caps count; fileFilter rejects bad MIME types early.
  • diskStorage vs memory storage decides whether you get file.path or file.buffer.
  • ParseFilePipe with MaxFileSizeValidator/FileTypeValidator validates declaratively, and a MulterError filter maps LIMIT_FILE_SIZE to a clean 413.

Centralize these options in one factory so limits stay consistent across every upload route.

Preguntas frecuentes

¿La lección «Cargas multipart con interceptors de Multer» es gratis?

Sí — el texto completo de «Cargas multipart con interceptors de Multer» es gratis para leer aquí en la web. Para practicarla de forma interactiva (editor de código integrado y tutor de IA 24/7) y desbloquear el resto del curso de NestJS Enterprise Backend APIs, actualiza a CoddyKit PRO. El curso de NestJS Enterprise Backend APIs incluye 4 lecciones en total.

¿Qué aprenderé en «Cargas multipart con interceptors de Multer»?

Configure FileInterceptor y FilesInterceptor para aceptar cargas de uno o varios archivos con límites de tamaño. Practicas NestJS Enterprise Backend APIs con código real que ejecutas directamente en el navegador, y un tutor de IA 24/7 responde tus preguntas mientras trabajas en la lección.

¿Necesito experiencia previa para empezar NestJS Enterprise Backend APIs?

No se requiere experiencia previa. NestJS Enterprise Backend APIs en CoddyKit está estructurado para principiantes hasta estudiantes avanzados, así que puedes empezar aquí o desde el inicio y avanzar a tu ritmo. Esta es la lección 1 de 4.

¿Cuánto tiempo toma la lección «Cargas multipart con interceptors de Multer»?

La mayoría de las lecciones de CoddyKit toman alrededor de 5–10 minutos. Cada una es compacta e interactiva, así que avanzas constantemente y retomas exactamente por donde dejaste en la web y la app.

¿Puedo escribir y ejecutar código en esta lección de NestJS Enterprise Backend APIs?

Sí. Cada lección de NestJS Enterprise Backend APIs incluye un editor de código integrado, así que escribes y ejecutas código real directamente en tu navegador y obtienes retroalimentación instantánea de IA — sin configuración local necesaria.

Todas las lecciones de este curso

  1. Cargas multipart con interceptors de Multer
  2. Streaming de respuestas grandes con StreamableFile
  3. Cargas directas a S3 con URL prefirmadas
  4. Pipelines de procesamiento de imágenes con Sharp
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