MongoDB
By MongoDB, Inc.
MongoDB is an open-source, document-oriented NoSQL database that stores data as flexible, JSON-like documents (BSON) rather than rows and columns in fixed tables.
Definition
MongoDB is an open-source, document-oriented NoSQL database that stores data as flexible, JSON-like documents (BSON) rather than rows and columns in fixed tables.
Overview
MongoDB was first released in 2009 by the company then known as 10gen, later renamed MongoDB, Inc., as part of a broader effort to build easier, more scalable web infrastructure. Its document model was designed to map more naturally onto how developers think in objects and JSON, especially in JavaScript-based stacks. Instead of enforcing a fixed schema across rows in a table like MySQL or PostgreSQL, MongoDB stores records as documents that can nest arrays and sub-objects and vary in structure from one document to the next. Collections of documents can be indexed, sharded across servers for horizontal scaling, and replicated for high availability, and the query language uses JSON-like filter documents rather than SQL. MongoDB became closely associated with the MEAN and MERN stacks—paired with Express.js, React, and Node.js—where developers typically access it through an ODM like Mongoose. Beyond self-hosting, MongoDB Atlas offers it as a fully managed cloud database across major cloud providers, and SkillVeris's Project: Build a Full-Stack To-Do App with React, Node.js and MongoDB walks through a typical MERN-stack build.
Key Features
- Flexible, schema-less document model based on BSON (binary JSON)
- Horizontal scaling through built-in sharding
- Replica sets for automatic failover and high availability
- Rich query language supporting filtering, aggregation pipelines, and indexing
- Native support for nested arrays and sub-documents
- Change streams for reacting to data changes in real time
- Full-text and geospatial indexing options
- MongoDB Atlas managed service across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud
- Strong ecosystem of drivers and ODMs across most programming languages
Use Cases
History
MongoDB is a document-oriented NoSQL database that stores data in flexible, JSON-like documents rather than rigid relational tables. It was created by the company originally named 10gen, founded in 2007 in New York City by Dwight Merriman, Eliot Horowitz, and Kevin Ryan — veterans of the ad-tech company DoubleClick who had hit the scaling limits of relational databases. Initially building a platform-as-a-service, the team recognized that their database layer was the most valuable piece and pivoted to it, releasing MongoDB as open source in 2009 (the name derives from "humongous"). The company renamed itself MongoDB Inc. in 2013, and MongoDB became one of the most popular NoSQL databases and a widely used choice for modern applications.
Sources
- MongoDB — "Our Story" · as of 2026-07-17
- MongoDB on GitHub — mongodb/mongo · as of 2026-07-17
Frequently Asked Questions
From the Blog
Project: Build a Full-Stack To-Do App with React, Node.js and MongoDB
A full-stack to-do app is the perfect first MERN project — it covers every concept you'll use in production: REST APIs, database CRUD operations, JWT authentication, and deploying a frontend and backend separately. Build it once, understand the full stack.
Read More AI & TechnologyWhat Is the MERN Stack? A Practical Overview
The MERN stack is a set of four JavaScript technologies — MongoDB, Express, React, and Node.js — used together to build full web applications with a single language across front and back end. Here's how each piece fits.
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