Install MongoDB 6: A Step-by-Step Guide

Oct 23, 2025 by Jhon Lennon 40 views

Ready to dive into the world of MongoDB 6? This guide provides you with a comprehensive walkthrough, making the installation process smooth and straightforward. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting out, we'll cover everything you need to get MongoDB 6 up and running on your system. Let's get started!

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following:

A compatible operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
A stable internet connection to download the necessary packages.
Administrator or sudo privileges to install software.

Step 1: Choose Your Installation Method

There are several ways to install MongoDB 6, depending on your operating system and preferences. We'll cover the most common methods for each major OS.

Windows

On Windows, you can use the MSI installer or Chocolatey package manager. The MSI installer is a graphical interface that guides you through the installation process, while Chocolatey allows for command-line installation.

macOS

For macOS, you can use Homebrew, a popular package manager, or download the pre-built binaries directly from the MongoDB website. Homebrew simplifies the installation and management of MongoDB.

Linux

Linux users can choose between using their distribution's package manager (such as apt for Debian/Ubuntu or yum for CentOS/RHEL) or downloading the .tar.gz archive from the MongoDB website. Using the package manager ensures that you receive updates through your system's regular update process.

Step 2: Installation Instructions

Let's walk through the installation process for each operating system.

Windows using MSI Installer

Download the MSI Installer: Go to the MongoDB Download Center (https://www.mongodb.com/try/download/community) and select the appropriate Windows version for MongoDB 6. Download the MSI package.
Run the Installer: Double-click the downloaded MSI file to start the installation wizard.
Follow the Prompts:
- Accept the license agreement.
- Choose the installation type. A complete installation is recommended for most users.
- Optionally, install MongoDB Compass, the GUI for MongoDB.
- Specify the service configuration. You can run MongoDB as a service, which starts automatically on boot.
Complete the Installation: Click Install and wait for the installation to finish.

Windows using Chocolatey

Install Chocolatey: If you don't have Chocolatey installed, open PowerShell as an administrator and run the following command:

Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force; [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol -bor 3072; iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://community.chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))

Install MongoDB: Open a new PowerShell window as an administrator and run:
```
choco install mongodb
```
Verify the Installation: Open a command prompt and type mongo --version to verify that MongoDB is installed correctly.

macOS using Homebrew

Install Homebrew: If you don't have Homebrew, install it by running the following command in your terminal:
```
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
```
Update Homebrew: Update Homebrew to the latest version:
```
brew update
```
Install MongoDB: Install MongoDB using Homebrew:
```
brew install mongodb-community@6.0
```

Start MongoDB: Start the MongoDB service:

brew services start mongodb-community@6.0

Linux using apt (Debian/Ubuntu)

Import the MongoDB Public GPG Key:

wget -qO - https://www.mongodb.org/static/pgp/server-6.0.asc | sudo apt-key add -

Add the MongoDB Repository: Create a list file for MongoDB:

echo "deb [ arch=amd64,arm64 ] https://repo.mongodb.org/apt/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs)/mongodb-org/6.0 multiverse" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mongodb-org-6.0.list

Update apt:
```
sudo apt update
```
Install MongoDB:
```
sudo apt install mongodb-org
```
Start MongoDB:
```
sudo systemctl start mongod
```

Linux using yum (CentOS/RHEL)

Create a mongodb.repo file:

sudo nano /etc/yum.repos.d/mongodb.repo

Add the following content to the file:

[mongodb-org-6.0]
name=MongoDB Repository
baseurl=https://repo.mongodb.org/yum/redhat/$releasever/mongodb-org/6.0/x86_64/
gpgcheck=1
enabled=1
gpgkey=https://www.mongodb.org/static/pgp/server-6.0.asc

Install MongoDB:
```
sudo yum install mongodb-org
```
Start MongoDB:
```
sudo systemctl start mongod
```

Step 3: Configure MongoDB

After installation, you might want to configure MongoDB to suit your needs. The main configuration file is usually located at /etc/mongod.conf.

Common Configuration Options

bindIp: Specifies the IP addresses on which the MongoDB server listens for connections. To allow connections from any IP address, set this to 0.0.0.0 (not recommended for production).
port: Specifies the port number on which the MongoDB server listens (default is 27017).
dbPath: Specifies the directory where MongoDB stores data files (default is /var/lib/mongodb).
logPath: Specifies the path to the MongoDB log file (default is /var/log/mongodb/mongod.log).

To modify these options, edit the /etc/mongod.conf file and restart the MongoDB service:

sudo systemctl restart mongod

Step 4: Verify the Installation

To verify that MongoDB is installed correctly and running, follow these steps:

Check the Service Status:
```
sudo systemctl status mongod
```
This command shows whether the MongoDB service is active and running.
Connect to MongoDB: Open a new terminal window and type:
```
mongo
```
This command connects you to the MongoDB shell. If the connection is successful, you'll see the MongoDB shell prompt.
Run a Simple Command: In the MongoDB shell, run a simple command to check if the database is working:
```
db.version()
```
This command returns the version of the MongoDB server.

Step 5: Secure Your MongoDB Installation

Securing your MongoDB installation is crucial, especially in production environments. Here are some essential security measures:

Enable Authentication

Enable authentication to require users to provide credentials to access the database.

Enable Authentication in mongod.conf: Add the following lines to the security section of the /etc/mongod.conf file:
```
security:
  authorization: enabled
```
Restart MongoDB:
```
sudo systemctl restart mongod
```
Create an Administrator User: Connect to the MongoDB shell and create an administrator user:
```
use admin
db.createUser(
  {
    user: "admin",
    pwd:  "your_strong_password",
    roles: [ { role: "root", db: "admin" } ]
  }
)
```
Replace your_strong_password with a strong, unique password.

Configure Firewall

Configure your firewall to allow connections only from trusted IP addresses.

UFW (Ubuntu):

sudo ufw allow from <trusted_ip_address> to any port 27017
sudo ufw enable

FirewallD (CentOS/RHEL):

sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --add-port=27017/tcp --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Keep MongoDB Updated

Regularly update MongoDB to the latest version to patch security vulnerabilities.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues during the installation process, here are some common problems and solutions:

MongoDB Service Fails to Start: Check the MongoDB log file (/var/log/mongodb/mongod.log) for error messages.
Connection Refused: Ensure that the MongoDB service is running and that your firewall allows connections to port 27017.
Permissions Issues: Make sure that the MongoDB user has the necessary permissions to access the data directory (/var/lib/mongodb).

Conclusion

Congratulations! You've successfully installed MongoDB 6. Now you're ready to start building amazing applications with MongoDB's powerful features. Remember to configure and secure your installation to ensure optimal performance and security. Happy coding, guys! Enjoy exploring the world of MongoDB and leveraging its capabilities for your projects. With this guide, you should be well-equipped to handle the installation process and begin your journey with MongoDB 6. Good luck, and have fun!