MongoDB

MongoDB is a document-oriented NoSQL database that stores data in flexible, JSON-like documents. It is designed for scalability, high performance, and ease of development.

Overview

MongoDB stores data in BSON (Binary JSON) format within collections. It supports dynamic schemas, ad-hoc queries, indexing, and aggregation pipelines. MongoDB scales horizontally through sharding and provides high availability via replica sets.

Key Features

  • Document model with flexible schema
  • Horizontal scaling via sharding
  • Replica sets for high availability and failover
  • Aggregation pipeline for complex data transformations
  • Text search and geospatial queries
  • Atlas: managed cloud database service

Licensing

MongoDB uses a dual-license model:

  • SSPL (Server Side Public License): Applied to versions released after October 16, 2018. This is not an OSI-approved open-source license and restricts offering MongoDB as a managed service without contributing back.
  • Community Edition: Free to use under SSPL for most applications.
  • Enterprise Edition: Commercial license with additional features (Kerberos, LDAP, audit logging).

MongoDB Inc. also offers MongoDB Atlas, a fully managed cloud database.

See MongoDB Licensing for details.

Official Resources