How to Get the Database URL in MongoDB

In MongoDB, the database URL also known as the connection string or connection URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) is a important piece of information required to establish a connection to a MongoDB database. It contains all the necessary details for connecting to the MongoDB server, including the hostname, port number, database name, and authentication credentials.

In this article, we’ll explore how to obtain the database URL in MongoDB by covering various scenarios and providing examples with outputs to understand the concept effectively.

How to Get the Database URL in MongoDB

Below are the approaches that can help us to Get the Database URL in MongoDB are as follows:

1. Connection String from MongoDB Atlas
2. Connection String from Local MongoDB Instance
3. Connection String from Configuration File

Structure of MongoDB Connection URI:

A typical MongoDB connection URI follows the format

mongodb://username:password@host1:port1,host2:port2/database?option1=value1&option2=value2

Explanation:

• mongodb://: The protocol prefix indicating that the URI is for a MongoDB connection.
• username:password: Optional authentication credentials. If authentication is not required, this part can be omitted.
• @host1:port1,host2:port2: Comma-separated list of MongoDB hosts and ports. MongoDB supports connecting to replica sets or sharded clusters, so multiple hosts and ports can be specified.
• /database: The name of the MongoDB database to connect to.
• ?option1=value1&option2=value2: Optional connection options specified as query parameters.

1. Connection String from MongoDB Atlas

If we are using MongoDB Atlas, a cloud-hosted MongoDB service, the connection string can be obtained from the Atlas dashboard.

• Log in to your MongoDB Atlas account.
• Navigate to the “Clusters” section and select your cluster.
• Click on the “Connect” button.
• Choose “Connect Your Application”.
• Copy the connection string provided.

Example Connection String from MongoDB Atlas:

mongodb+srv://

username:password@cluster0.abcde.mongodb.net/mydatabase?retryWrites=true&w=majority

2. Connection String from Local MongoDB Instance

If we have a local MongoDB instance running on your machine, you can obtain the connection string by following these steps:

1. Open a terminal or command prompt.
2. Start the MongoDB server if it’s not already running.
3. Run the `mongo` command to open the MongoDB shell.
4. Run the `db` command to switch to a specific database (optional).
5. Run the `db.getMongo()` command to get the connection string.

Output:

{
  "ismaster" : true,
  "maxBsonObjectSize" : 16777216,
  "maxMessageSizeBytes" : 48000000,
  "maxWriteBatchSize" : 100000,
  "localTime" : ISODate("2022-04-06T08:53:47.533Z"),
  "logicalSessionTimeoutMinutes" : 30,
  "connectionId" : 17,
  "minWireVersion" : 0,
  "maxWireVersion" : 14,
  "readOnly" : false,
  "ok" : 1
}

The connection string can be extracted from the me field.

3. Connection String from Configuration File

If we are using a configuration file to store database settings, the connection string can be specified in the configuration file.

Example config.yml File:

mongodb:
  url: mongodb://username:password@localhost:27017/mydatabase

Conclusion

Overall, Obtaining the database URL in MongoDB is essential for establishing connections to MongoDB databases from applications or tools. Whether you are using MongoDB Atlas, a local MongoDB instance, or a configuration file, understanding how to retrieve the database URL is crucial for seamless integration and development.