How to Install MongoDB on Windows

Edited 3 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

InstallationSetupWindowsDatabaseMongoDBSoftwareDeploymentDevelopmentConfigurationOperating System

MongoDB is a popular NoSQL database that helps developers store large amounts of data efficiently. This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of installing MongoDB on a Windows operating system. By the end of this guide, you will have a working MongoDB setup and understand the basics of running MongoDB on your Windows system.

Step 1: Download MongoDB

The first step to install MongoDB is to download the MongoDB installer for Windows. Follow these steps:

1. Open your web browser and go to the official MongoDB website www.mongodb.com.
2. Go to the downloads section or find the community server page.
3. Choose the version of MongoDB you want to download. It is recommended to choose the latest stable release for the best features and security updates.
4. Choose your platform Windows, and select MSI (Windows Installer) as the package.
5. Click the "Download" button to download the MongoDB installer to your computer.

Step 2: Install MongoDB

Once the MongoDB installer file is downloaded, you need to install it on your Windows system. Follow these steps:

1. Go to the directory where the installer file was downloaded, usually the "Downloads" folder.
2. Double-click the .msi file to launch the MongoDB installer.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. You will see options such as "Full" and "Custom" installation. It is recommended to choose "Full" to install all MongoDB components.
4. After choosing your preferred installation type, click "Next" and proceed following the instructions.
5. When you reach the "Service Configuration" page, make sure the "Install MongoDB as a service" option is checked. This allows MongoDB to run automatically when Windows starts. Leave the other options as default.
6. Finish the installation by clicking "Install" and then click "Finish" when complete.

Step 3: Set environment variables (optional)

To use MongoDB's command-line tools in a convenient way, you can add the MongoDB bin directory to your system's PATH environment variable. This step allows you to run MongoDB commands from any command prompt without specifying the full path. You can do it as follows:

1. Open the Start menu and type environment variables, then click "Edit system environment variables".
2. In the System Properties window, click the "Environment Variables" button.
3. In the "System Variables" section, find and select the "Path" variable, then click "Edit."
4. In the "Edit Environment Variable" window, click "New" and add the path to the MongoDB bin directory. By default, this is C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\version_number\bin.
5. Click "OK" to save and exit all dialog boxes.

Step 4: Create the data directories

MongoDB needs directories to store data and log files. By default, these directories are not created during installation, so you must create them manually. Here's how:

1. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the drive where you want to store MongoDB data. Typically, this will be the C: drive.
2. Create a new folder called data by right-clicking, choosing "New" and then "Folder."
3. Inside data folder, create another folder named db. This is where MongoDB will store its database files.
4. If desired, create a log folder within data directory for MongoDB's log files, although this is not mandatory as logs can be directed to specific files.

Step 5: Run MongoDB

Now that MongoDB is installed and your directories are set up, it's time to run MongoDB. You can start the MongoDB server either as a Windows service or manually. This guide explains both methods:

Running MongoDB as a service

Since MongoDB was installed as a service, it starts automatically with Windows. However, you can also manage it manually:

1. Open a Command Prompt with administrative privileges. You can do this by searching for cmd, right-clicking the "Command Prompt" app, and selecting "Run as administrator."
2. To start the MongoDB server, type the command net start MongoDB and press Enter. This starts the MongoDB service.
3. To stop the MongoDB server, use net stop MongoDB command when required.

Running MongoDB manually

If you prefer to run MongoDB manually from the command line, follow these steps:

1. Open command prompt.
2. Navigate to the MongoDB bin directory by typing the following command and pressing Enter: cd C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\version_number\bin. Replace version_number with your installed MongoDB version.
3. Start the MongoDB server by entering mongod in the command prompt. If your data directory is not the default C:\data\db, specify the path by adding --dbpath option e.g.: mongod --dbpath=path_to_your_db_directory.
4. The command prompt will display logs indicating that MongoDB has started. Leave this window open to keep MongoDB running.

Step 6: Connect to MongoDB

With MongoDB running, you can now connect to the database using the MongoDB shell, which is a command-line tool for interacting with the MongoDB database. Here's how to use it:

1. Open a new command prompt window.
2. If the MongoDB bin directory is in your PATH, just type mongo and press Enter. If not, navigate to bin directory and run mongo from there.
3. The shell loads, and you are now connected to the MongoDB server. You can begin using MongoDB commands to interact with your database. For example, create a new database by typing use myDatabase and pressing Enter. This creates (or switches to) a database named "myDatabase".

Step 7: Basic MongoDB commands

Now that MongoDB is up and running, it's useful to know some basic commands to manage and work with your data. Here are some basic operations in MongoDB:

Creating a database

Create a new database by typing the use myDatabase command. If the database doesn't exist, MongoDB will create it the first time you store data into it.

Inserting a document

To add data to your database, insert documents into a collection. A collection is similar to a table in a relational database. Use the following command in the MongoDB shell:

db.myCollection.insertOne({
    "name": "John Doe",
    "Age": 29,
    "city": "New York"
})

This command adds a new document to the collection "myCollection". If the collection does not exist, MongoDB creates it.

Querying the data

Retrieve data using the find command:

db.myCollection.find({ "name": "John Doe" })

This command searches for documents where the field "name" is equal to "John Doe".

Updating a document

Update a document with updateOne or updateMany command:

db.myCollection.updateOne(
    { "name": "John Doe" },
    { $set: {
            "Age": 30
        }
    }
)

This updates the "Age" field to 30 for documents where the "Name" is "John Doe".

Deleting a document

Delete a document using deleteOne or deleteMany:

db.myCollection.deleteOne({ "name": "John Doe" })

This command deletes the document where the "name" is "John Doe".

Conclusion

You have learned how to install MongoDB on your Windows computer, and now you have a basic understanding of how to start MongoDB, connect using the MongoDB shell, and perform basic operations. MongoDB is a powerful NoSQL database with a flexible and scalable architecture. As you dive deeper into MongoDB, explore its advanced features such as indexes, aggregation, and replication to build robust and high-performance applications.

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