How to Install MongoDB on Ubuntu in 2024

MongoDB is one of the most popular open-source NoSQL database managers. It stores data in a formatted document instead of a tabular format. Since it doesn’t have a rigid schema, MongoDB offers a higher scalability and flexibility than SQL.

This database management system (DBMS) is popular among developers due to its performance and compatibility with various programming languages. However, to install MongoDB, Ubuntu users need various commands, making the process challenging.

With this in mind, we’ll explain how to install MongoDB on Ubuntu virtual private server (VPS) hosting. We’ll also cover the steps to create a new database, set up a user, and enable remote authentication.

Prerequisites for the MongoDB Installation on Ubuntu

Before installing the official MongoDB package, check your hardware and software compatibility. Your VPS hosting plan must support Ubuntu, offer an SSH connection, and provide full root access.

Hostinger’s VPS hosting offers various Linux distributions, including Ubuntu. You can install it easily by going to the VPS Dashboard → OS & Panel → Operating System.

We recommend using the newest operating system to ensure compatibility and security. However, the steps to install MongoDB on Ubuntu 20.04 or other versions are similar.

Our VPS hosting plans also enable you to connect remotely via SSH. In addition to using an application like PuTTY and Terminal, you can run Linux commands directly from your web browser using our Browser terminal.

Hostinger’s VPS also provides full root access, allowing users to run MongoDB installation commands without permission issues.

How to Install MongoDB on Ubuntu

In this section, we will explain how to install MongoDB on Ubuntu 20.04 or other versions. Before proceeding, ensure you have connected to your VPS via SSH using a root or superuser account

1. Install MongoDB

Before installing the MongoDB package, download the GnuPG and cURL utility by running this command in your command-line interface:

sudo apt-get install -y gnupg curl

Use cURL and GnuPG to Import the MongoDB public GPG key to retrieve the installation package:

curl -fsSL https://pgp.mongodb.com/server-7.0.asc | sudo gpg -o /usr/share/keyrings/mongodb-server-7.0.gpg --dearmor

Note that the URL varies depending on the MongoDB packages. In this tutorial, we will install MongoDB Community Edition 7.0, the latest stable version at the time of writing.

After importing the official MongoDB packages, create a list file for installation. The command differs depending on your Ubuntu version. For Ubuntu 22.04 or later, run:

echo "deb [ arch=amd64,arm64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/mongodb-server-7.0.gpg ] https://repo.mongodb.org/apt/ubuntu jammy/mongodb-org/7.0 multiverse" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mongodb-org-7.0.list

Meanwhile, run the following to configure the list file on Ubuntu 20.04:

echo "deb [ arch=amd64,arm64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/mongodb-server-7.0.gpg ] https://repo.mongodb.org/apt/ubuntu focal/mongodb-org/7.0 multiverse" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mongodb-org-7.0.list

Refresh the APT repository to synchronize the local package database:

sudo apt-get update

Run the following command to install the latest stable version of MongoDB using the APT package management system:

sudo apt-get install -y mongodb-org

Optionally, choose a specific version of the official mongodb-org package. For example, run the following command to install MongoDB version 7.0.2:

sudo apt-get install -y mongodb-org=7.0.2 mongodb-org-database=7.0.2 mongodb-org-server=7.0.2 mongodb-mongosh=7.0.2 mongodb-org-mongos=7.0.2 mongodb-org-tools=7.0.2

If you specify only the MongoDB version and not the other components, APT will install the newest package.

Since APT automatically updates the component package, pin the installation to keep the current version. Here are the command examples:

echo "mongodb-org hold" | sudo dpkg --set-selections

echo "mongodb-org-server hold" | sudo dpkg --set-selections

echo "mongodb-mongosh hold" | sudo dpkg --set-selections

2. Start Your MongoDB Service

After the installation, run MongoDB Community Edition by entering the following:

sudo systemctl start mongod

The systemctl command is essential for MongoDB service management. For example, if you encounter an error, run the following to reboot running services and try starting the DBMS again:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

To find out whether MongoDB database server loaded properly, check its status with this command:

sudo systemctl status mongod

You should see active (running) if the MongoDB service is working, similar to the following output.

By default, the service doesn’t start at boot. To automatically load it at startup, enable MongoDB using the following command. :

sudo systemctl enable mongod

Check the service status using systemctl. If it shows Enabled instead of Loaded, MongoDB is ready to use.

3. Configure MongoDB

Change the MongoDB database setting by modifying the main configuration file. It is created automatically during the installation process and accessible through /etc/mongod.conf.

Use a text editor like nano to open and modify the file. Here’s the command:

sudo nano /etc/mongod.conf

There are several configuration options that determine the MongoDB server behavior. For example, systemLog defines your database logging settings, while net lets you modify network-related settings.

Warning! Be careful when editing the mongod configuration file as you may break the service or expose your server to security risk.

All options have several parameters. For instance, the systemLog option has the path parameter determining the default log storage location, namely /var/log/mongodb/mongod.log.

Instead of deleting the parameters and options, add a hash symbol (#) to disable them. It is a good practice since you can easily reactivate them by removing the character.

After editing the configuration file, restart MongoDB using this command to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart mongod

4. Create a New Database

The MongoDB installation process automatically creates the admin database. Since it is usually used for administrative purposes like storing authentication data, we recommended creating a new one.

To do so, enter the Mongo shell by running the following command:

mongosh

MongoDB has the same command for creating and accessing databases. If one with the specified name exists, the shell will switch to it.

For example, the following will switch you to the default database since the name exists:

use admin

Meanwhile, run this command in the MongoDB shell to create the customers database:

use customers

To check all the MongoDB databases in your system, run the following:

show dbs

5. Create a New User

Since MongoDB has no default account, you must create a new user for each database and set their privileges. You can do so using the db.createUser() function.

For example, we will create a new root MongoDB user account with full permissions. After switching to the database admin mode using the use command, enter:

db.createUser(
  {
    user: "root",
    pwd: "$tr0ngPa$$w0rD",   
    roles: [ { role: "root", db: "admin" } ]
  }
)

You can write the function in one or multiple lines. Remember to pay attention to the capitalization since it is case-sensitive.

MongoDB has various roles, like dbAdmin, dbOwner, and readWrite. We recommend granting a user account minimal permissions to help avoid unauthorized modifications and data access.

To show all users within your current database, use this command:

show users

To test the database connection, quit the MongoDB console by entering the exit command on Terminal and run the following:

mongosh --port [port] -u [username] -p '[password]' '[database]'

For example, we will connect to the root user using the default port of 27017:

mongosh --port 27017 -u root -p '$tr0ngPa$$w0rD' 'admin'

6. Enable Remote Authentication

By default, MongoDB authorizes all logins from the host machine. While this is sufficient for local deployment, you may encounter problems when pushing an application from another device.

To access MongoDB from another system, modify the mongod.conf file’s bindIP parameter. Its default value is the local IP address, meaning it denies access from other machines than the host server.

Warning! Be careful when changing IP addresses in your MongoDB configuration file as it can make your database public, exposing your service to serious security risks.

Use nano to open the mongod.conf file and add your VPS public IP address to the bindIP parameter, like so:

bindIP: 127.0.0.1,123.123.12.1

We don’t recommend changing the value to 0.0.0.0 since allowing all systems’ IP addresses to connect will expose your server to cyber attacks.

To ensure only permissive users can access your database, enable authentication by adding the following line under the security section:

authorization: enabled

Ensure you have removed the hash symbol at the beginning of the security option. Press Ctrl + X, Y, and Enter to save the changes. Restart MongoDB using the following command:

sudo systemctl restart mongod

After installing the Mongo utility in your local system, you should be able to connect to the database server by running this command syntax:

mongo "mongodb://user:password@ip:port/?authSource=database_name"

For example, we will connect to MongoDB using the root user, with the admin database as the authenticator. Here’s the command:

mongo "mongodb://root:$tr0ngPa$$w0rD@123.123.1.1:27017/?authSource=admin"

To improve remote access security, limit the MongoDB listening port only to your local system’s IP address. In Ubuntu, you can do so using the Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) command:

sudo ufw allow from your_local_machine_ip_address to any port 27017

It means the firewall will only accept connections from the specified IP address and block others.

Conclusion

MongoDB is a free, open-source NoSQL database management system (DBMS) popular for large-scale websites or applications. Since it doesn’t use a fixed schematic structure to store data, it is more flexible and scalable than SQL.

In this article, we have provided the MongoDB installation guide for Ubuntu. Here’s the recap:

1. Install MongoDB. Import the official MongoDB repository key using GnuPG and cURL. Create the list file and install it using the APT package manager.
2. Start MongoDB. Run the MongoDB instance using the systemctl command. Enable the daemon to ensure it starts automatically during the system startup.
3. Set up MongoDB. Open the mongod.conf configuration file using a text editor. Modify your database settings and restart Mongod to apply the changes.
4. Create a new database. Enter the Mongo shell using the mongosh command. Run the use command to create a new MongoDB database or access an existing one if the specified name exists.
5. Create a new user. Access the MongoDB shell and enter the db.createUser() function to create a new user in your current database. Set its password and permissions.
6. Enable remote authentication. Change the mongod.conf file’s bindIP settings to enable remote access to your database. To improve security, enable the MongoDB authentication setting and limit the permitted IP address using UFW.

When deploying MongoDB, use a VPS with full root access and vast software compatibility like Hostinger’s to ensure a smooth configuration process. We also provide a one-click OS installer and the Browser terminal to streamline the task.

How to Install MongoDB on Ubuntu FAQ

In this section, we will answer several common questions about installing MongoDB on Ubuntu.