How to Install MongoDB on Windows?

The traditional tables and rows create many issues when storing the data in the database due to the rigid Schema and complex table structures. Storing and Managing a vast number of Data Tables becomes a challenge as the amount of data grows to tons of PetaBytes. 

MongoDB offers the best solution to all the problems. It allows you to create software applications that handle vast data. MongoDB allows for storing huge amounts of unstructured and semi-structured data.

It’s a Document-Oriented Database known for its flexibility and scalability to handle vast amounts of data. This article covers everything from MongoDB’s overview to its simple Installation Steps.

Table of Contents

• MongoDB Overview
• Features
• Prerequisites
• MongoDB Installation
• MongoDB Shell Installation
• Environment Variable Setup
• FAQs

What is MongoDB?

MongoDB is essentially an open-source NoSQL database. It stores data in a document-like structure in JSON format. It can store data in BSON format as well. It offers great flexibility and efficiency to users. It implements scalability through sharding. It helps to distribute massive amounts of data across multiple servers.

Moreover, MongoDB offers huge query and aggregation abilities to users. It supports an extensive collection of indexing options so you can fetch data quickly from the database. It also has automatic failover, replica sets, and built-in support for Geospatial Data. Before we dive into the Installation Process, let us look closely at MongoDB’s features.

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Features of MongoDB

• The critical feature of MongoDB is that it can store data in a flexible format known as documents. This can hold different information and makes it easy to work with data that doesn’t fit into tables.
• MongoDB allows you to change the schema according to your application status. New fields can be added to the documents without affecting other data.
• MongoDB is a NoSQL database that deals with large amounts of data. Also, it is suitable for modern applications with different data requirements. 
• The indexing feature helps in finding the data faster. Various types of indexes are supported through which you can search your data and speed up queries on specific fields.
• The platform can handle several concurrent read and write requests for the same data.it provides the best-in-class concurrency control and locking mechanisms that maintain data consistency. 

Prerequisites to Install MongoDB

It would help to have a few things in place before installing MongoDB, such as Operating System Compatibility, Disc Space, and Administrative Privilege. As per the official documentation of MongoDB, the recommended system for Installing MongoDB is Windows Server 2016 and 2019.  

Also, If you have an Intel computer, it should be at least a Sandy Bridge Core processor, a later version, or a Tiger Lake Celeron or Pentium processor. It would help to have a Bulldozer processor or a later version for AMD computers.  

Let’s jump into installing MongoDB on Windows in the following section.

How to Install MongoDB on Windows?

Step 1: Visit the official  MongoDB website, https://www.mongodb.com/, to download MongoDB to your system. Now, select the products tab. Then, navigate to the ‘community edition’ item.

Step 2: You need to select a specific version, platform, and package per the project requirement. For Windows, we must choose Version 7.0.0 or current, Platform Windows OS Platform, and MSI Package as demonstrated below. you can click the download button now. It allows you to download the setup.

Step 3: Navigate to the installer now. This is where the setup is downloaded. Double-click on the MSI file to start the installation. The Installation Screen appears as shown below. After this, click on the next option.

Step 4:  An installation wizard should pop up as depicted below. Read the End-User License Agreement, accept the terms and conditions, and select the “Next” button. 

Step 5: Now, select the Complete or Custom setup type. Select the complete setup option, which installs MongoDB at the default location. Select Complete Setup and then click the "Next" option as outlined below.

Step 6: Click on the “Install MongoD as a Service” button and Select the “Next” option as captured below.

Step 7: After this, you will be given the option of installing MongoDB Compass. Uncheck the box if you do not want it installed on your device, and click the “Next” button to proceed further.

Step 8: Now allow administrator access and click the “Install” button to start the MongoDB Installation as shown below.

Step 9: The installation of MongoDB will start as outlined below.

Step 10:  After the Installation, click the ‘Finish’ button to close the installer screen. 

MongoDB Shell Installation on Windows

After Installing MongoDB, we will install its Shell that interacts with MongoDB deployments. It must be installed separately, as the MongoDB installer does not include it. Follow the below steps to install MongoDB Shell on Windows. 

Step 1: Get the official website https://www.mongodb.com/try/download/shell to download MongoDB Shell on your system. Select the platform’s Windows 64-bit (8.1+) option and click the ‘Download’ button.

Step 2: You can extract the downloaded zip file and store it in the desired location. You will locate the bin folder, as shown in the picture below in the next step.

Step 3: Click on the ‘mongosh’ file to launch the MongoDB shell. The Shell would appear as depicted below:

Environment Variable Setup

We must add the MongoDB path as an environment variable before running the Server. The steps to set the environment variable are given below:

Step 1: Navigate to the MongoDB installation directory on “C Drive.” Go to the Server> 7.0 > bin folder. Now, you can create a copy of the path as shown below.

Step 2: Next. you can navigate to the windows search. You can type ‘environment variable’ into the search box. After that, choose the ‘Edit environment variables for your account’ item.

Step 3: Now you can select the environment variables in the advanced settings as shown below:

Step 4:  Double-click the “Path” option in the system variable.

Step 5: Select “New” to set a new path variable. After this, paste the copied path here, then click “OK.” The environmental variables have been added successfully. 

Step 6: You can run the MongoDB local server from any path in your computer’s terminal. After you’ve added the environment variable to the system, use the Command Prompt to run the ‘mongod  - -version‘ command to see if MongoDB is appropriately installed. It should produce the following result:

MongoDB Installation FAQs

1. How do I install MongoDB Compass?

Starting with MongoDB 4.0, you can install MongoDB as a Windows service or simply the binaries. Optional. Select Install MongoDB Compass (Default) to have the wizard install MongoDB Compass. When you’re finished, click Install. Mongosh is not included in the.msi installer. 

2. Does MongoDB support 32-bit x86 platforms?

No, 32-bit x86 platforms are not supported by MongoDB. It stopped supporting 32-bit platforms with MongoDB 3.2. MongoDB supports a64bit x86 processor or its equivalent.

3. If a MongoDB database does not exist in your system, what would be the result?

MongoDB creates a database if a MongoDB database doesn't exist. Similarly, MongoDB creates collections if collections don't exist. You can use a non-existent database and execute the related operations.

4. Does MongoDB require a predefined schema?

MongoDB typically doesn't need a specific schema to store data. It allows you to change the schema without creating any new database.

5. How can I start a MongoDB instance?

First, go to the MongoDB installation directory. Then execute the ‘mongod’ command to initialize the mongoDB server. After that, you can use the –dbpath flag to indicate if the data directory is not in the default location.

Conclusion

MongoDB provides a versatile and scalable solution for a variety of data needs. It has changed the database environment with its flexible features. This article should have given you useful insights on mongoDB. You have also learned how to install MongoDB on your system. If you desire to explore more about MongoDB, you can sign up for a MindMajix's MongoDB training. You will get certification and stay ahead in the job market.