Running MongoDB in Docker: A Practical Guide

In this blog post, we’ll walk through the process of running MongoDB in a Docker container. This approach offers flexibility, ease of deployment, and consistency across different environments. Let’s dive in!

Prerequisites:

• Docker installed on your machine

• Basic knowledge of Docker commands

Step 1: Pull the MongoDB Image
First, let’s pull the official MongoDB image from Docker Hub:

docker pull mongo

This command downloads the latest MongoDB image to your local machine.

Step 2: Run MongoDB Container

Now, let’s run a MongoDB container

docker run -d --name my-mongodb -p 27017:27017 mongo

Let’s break down this command:

• -d: Runs the container in detached mode
• --name my-mongodb: Names our container "my-mongodb"
• -p 27017:27017: Maps the container's port 27017 to our host's port 27017
• mongo: Specifies the image to use

Step 3: Verify the Container is Running

Check if your container is running:

docker ps

You should see your “my-mongodb” container in the list.

Step 4: Connect to MongoDB
To interact with your MongoDB instance, you can use the mongo shell within the container:

docker exec -it my-mongodb mongosh

This command opens an interactive mongo shell where you can run MongoDB commands.
Step 5: Create a Database and Collection
In the mongo shell, let’s create a new database and collection:

use mydb
db.createCollection("users")
db.users.insertOne({name: "John Doe", email: "john@example.com"})

These commands create a database named “mydb”, a collection named “users”, and insert a document into it.
Step 6: Verify Data Persistence
Exit the mongo shell (type exit), stop the container, and remove it:

docker stop my-mongodb
docker rm my-mongodb

Now, let’s run a new container with a volume to persist our data:

docker run -d --name my-mongodb -p 27017:27017 -v mongodb_data:/data/db mongo

The -v mongodb_data:/data/db option creates a Docker volume for data persistence.
Connect to this new container and check if your data is still there:

docker exec -it my-mongodb mongo
use mydb
db.users.find()

You should see the document we inserted earlier.

Conclusion:

Running MongoDB in Docker provides a clean, isolated environment that’s easy to set up and tear down. It’s particularly useful for development and testing scenarios where you need to quickly spin up a database instance.
Remember to consider security measures like setting up authentication and using Docker networks for production environments.

So, whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a professional, or just someone who wants to learn more, I invite you to follow me on this journey. Subscribe to my blog and follow me on social media to stay in the loop and never miss a post.

Together, let’s explore the exciting world of technology and all it offers. I can’t wait to connect with you!”

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Happy learning!

Happy coding with MongoDB and Docker!