MongoDB - Getting Started

In traditional RDBMS(like SQL Server), there are three basic concepts: Database, Tables and record(or named tuple). Database imply one or some database files(just a common OS file which has specified format which can be used by DBMS) which store our actual data; Table is a strucutred Set or Collection which has predefined schema which can be used to hold records(or named tuple).

In MongoDB, these three concepts are still applicable but with a little difference.Database in MongoDB still imply database files, but these database files can be distributed on a lot of servers in a cluster; also table is replaced by the Collection which is schema free, means we needn't predefined the structure of the collection; record is replaced by term - Document which imply it is schema free.

Download the MongoDB

Download from http://www.mongodb.org/downloads

Should be aware that, the even verion is stable and the Odd version is development version. So for me I use version 2.4.6 and 64 bit.

After download and unzip the file, copy all files under the BIN folder to a specified folder(for me, I place them under D:\MongoDB folder):

Start the MongoDB

Absolutely we should start the service before we can use it, so firstly we need to start the MongoDB Service. There are many methods to start it, but the most easily way is using the Javascript Shell which named mongod.exe under the BIN folder:

 

Create Data Folder

Before we start the service, we should create a folder which used to hold the database files. For me, I create a folder which its path is D:\MongoDB\Data

Start the Service

1. Start the cmd and change the current directory to D:\MongoDB

2. type the command "mongod.exe --dbpath .\Data --port 10000" and click enter.

--dbpath is used to identified the folder which used to host the database files

--port is used to identified in which port the MongoDB will listen the connection from client

Then you can see some messages in the console which represent "waiting for connections on port 10000". It means the MongoDB start successfully

Connect to the Server

Now we have started the MongoDB service, the next step should start the client and connect to the server.

1. Start another cmd window which used as client

2. change the current directory to D:\MongoDB

3. type the command "mongo.exe --port 10000 --host localhost" and click enter

 --host identify the host which the MongoDB located

--port identify the port in which the MongoDB Server is listening 

Then you can see the message that "connecting to: localhost:10000/test". It means we have connected to the database test.