May Driver Releases

MongoDB
June 4, 2012
#Releases
This month saw a lot of great improvements to our drivers, including an update to the core server. 
← Previous

Mobilize Your MongoDB: Building MongoDB Mobile Apps with OpenShift PaaS Part II

Summary: This is the second part of a blog series that details how to develop a mobile application that is backed by MongoDB and a PaaS. MongoDB makes a great companion to this mobile application given its ability to shard and the nature of being able to store JSON documents with little data manipulation required. In this blog post, part two of the series, we will go over the required components and software in order to develop cross platform mobile applications for the iPhone and Android operating systems. We will also install and configure the backend systems, including mongodb , which makes a perfect data store for the BeerShift mobile application. We will be using the following applications and software stack components: Titanium Studio by Appcelerator Titanium Studio is an all-inclusive powerful Eclipse-based IDE that simplifies the mobile development process. Use Titanium Studio to rapidly build, test, package and publish mobile, desktop and web applications. Take advantage of new functionality like advanced code assisting, ACS integration, module management, Git integration, an enhanced publishing workflow and a full-featured editor. Manage Titanium projects, test your mobile apps in the simulator or on device, automate app packaging deploy to a public or private App Store and much more. * Xcode by Apple Even though we will be using Titanium Studio for our development, we will still need to have Xcode installed and configured so that we have access to several important tools. Not only will we be using the simulator to test out our iPhone application, we will also need the Xcode IDE in order to bundle and submit our application to the Apple App Store. Android SDK Since we are targeting both iOS and Android based devices, we will also need to install and configure the Android SDK for emulating the Android hardware for testing. OpenShift Client Tools OpenShift is Red Hat’s free, auto-scaling Platform as a Service (PaaS) for applications. As an application platform in the cloud, OpenShift manages the stack so you can focus on your code. We will be using this for our backend services and our cloud hosted MongoDB . While not required for this blog post series, I would suggest that a user also install a quality image editing application for sizing of icons and splash screens for your application. I prefer to use an open source software application called Gimp that will provide the user with most of the image editing capabilities they need. Step 1: Installing Xcode Note: If you are planning on targeting iOS platforms, you will typically need an iOS developer account . This will allow you to publish your application to the Apple App Store and receive product updates and announcements about new iOS platforms. This program typically costs 99.00USD per year. There are generally two ways to install Xcode on Mac OS. You can either install via the app store or you can download it directly from the Apple Developer Center. During this blog post, I will assume that you have access to the Apple App Store and will be detailing that route in order to install the IDE. Once you start the App Store application, search for Xcode and you should be directed to the following page: Once on this page, click the free button under the short description in order to install the IDE on your local operating system. Once the installation starts, be patient! Xcode is 1.5 gigs and can take up to a significant amount of time to install even on the fastest of connections. To check the status of the installation, you can go back to the App Store application and click on the Purchases tab at the top of the screen. This will display your current download position and how much time is remaining. Step 2: Installing OpenShift Client Tools Note: If you would rather watch a screencast of this step, check out this video where I demo how to install the client tools on OSX. The OpenShift client tools are written in a very popular programming language called Ruby . With OSX 10.6 and later, ruby is installed by default so installing the client tools is a snap. Simply issue the following command on your terminal application: $ sudo gem install rhc If you don't already have an OpenShift account, head on over to http://openshift.redhat.com and signup. It is completely free and Red Hat gives every user three free applications running in the cloud. At the time of this writing, the combined resources allocated for each user is 1.5gb of memory and 3gb of disk space. Now that we have the client tools installed, we also need to install the GIT source code repository tools. In order to do this, download the package from the GIT website by clicking on the Download for Mac button on the right hand side of the screen. Once the download of is .dmg file is complete, mount the image by clicking on it and open up Finder. Once Finder is open, click on the .pkg file to install GIT to your local system. Follow the installation instructions and close the dialog box once the installation has finished. Open up a new terminal window to ensure that your environment variables, including your path, have been updated to reflect the new git installation. At this point, we can create the backend server for our BeerShift application including the mongo database. For this blog post, we will be using a PHP backend but I have also written a backend for Ruby, Python and Java. $ rhc app create -a beershift -t php-5.3 The above command will provision some space for us on the Red Hat Cloud. It will also create a templated website for us to verify that the application creation was successful. Once the command has finished, verify that the application and server space was created by pointing your browser to the URL provided by the RHC tools. Now that we have an application created, lets create a mongodb data store to house our application data. This can be done by performing the following command. $ rhc-ctl-app -a beershift -e add-mongodb-2.0 This will return the database hostname, port, root user and root password for you to access the database. Don't worry, we will go into more detail on how all of this works with the blog post that covers the backend system for this application. Step 3: Install the Android SDK Appcelerator provides excellent instructions on how to install and configure the Android SDK for use with Titanium Studio. Instead of re-inventing the wheel, I suggest that you follow the instructions already provided for this step. Step 4: Install Titanium Studio In order to install and use Titanium Studio, you will need to register for a developer account with Appcelerator. Head on over and click the Download Titanium button on the right hand side of the screen. This will redirect you to a sign up screen. Fill in the required details and submit the form and check your inbox for a validation email. Once you have validated your email, you will be redirected back to the Appcelerator site where you can download Titanium Studio. Once the .dmg file has downloaded, mount the image and follow the instruction to drag Titanium Studio to your Applications folder. Note: When you start the application for the first time, you may be prompted to install a Java runtime. If so, following the instructions that are presented and OSX will automatically find and install the Java runtime for you. Once Titanium Studio starts, you will be prompted for a location to store your workspace. The workspace is a location on your local machine where all of your source files and project settings will be stored. After you select your workspace location, you will be asked for your username and password. This is the username and password that you used to signup for an Appcelerator account. Once you are logged in, that IDE may perform an update to ensure that you are running the latest available code. Now that you have the IDE setup and your SDKs setup, get familiar with the IDE and play around with a few of the sample projects. In the next blog post we will begin development of the backend application and create our REST API that handle communication between the mobile application and the cloud hosted server. * http://www.appcelerator.com/platform/titanium-studio Tagged with: openshift, sdk, iphone, iphone development, objective c, red hat, open source, MongoDB, Mongo, NoSQL, Polyglot persistence, 10gen

May 31, 2012
Next →

Being Latine in Tech: Two MongoDB Employees Share Their Advice on Building Careers in Engineering

Ashley Naranjo and Martin Bajana, members of MongoDB’s employee resource group QueLatine, share their career journeys and offer insight into how other members of the Latine community can build careers in tech. Jackie Denner: How did you make your way into the tech industry? Ashley Naranjo: I am a first-generation Latina with a passion for Information Technology and a knack for problem-solving. After graduating early from high school, I embarked on a career in Nursing. I chose Nursing initially because I wanted to make a difference and help others, but my path took an unexpected turn when COVID-19 reshaped our world. In light of the circumstances, I reevaluated my options and decided to seize an opportunity with a program called Year Up . During the intensive six-month training and deployment phase, I not only completed rigorous coursework but also obtained IT Google Coursera certifications and actively pursued CompTIA certifications. This experience allowed me to secure an internship at Meta (Facebook) as an Enterprise Operation IT Support Tech, where my love for technology blossomed. During my time at Meta, I had the privilege of assisting diverse Meta users worldwide with a wide range of technical issues, including troubleshooting, software and hardware support, internal access permissions, and more. The exposure to a global tech environment further fueled my passion for the field. When my internship concluded, I was offered a 1-year contract role with Meta to continue my work as a support tech for the same team. Throughout that year, I immersed myself in all aspects of technology, maximizing my learning opportunities and applying my networking skills. As time went on, I knew I needed a new challenge. This led me to embark on a search for an exciting role, which eventually brought me to MongoDB. I am passionate about driving technological innovation, and MongoDB is a place where I can make an impact. Martin Bajana: My interest in technology stems from a variety of sources. From a young age, I developed a strong passion for video games and exploring new technologies. Whether it was experimenting with the latest gaming consoles or delving into computer hardware, I relished the opportunity to learn and understand the inner workings of these technologies. In school, I discovered my affinity for mathematics, which further solidified my decision to pursue a career in the tech industry. Choosing to study computer science in college was a natural progression for me, as it allowed me to combine my love for technology with my aptitude for problem-solving. After completing my education, I was recruited by Verizon, where I worked on front-end applications and Android development. Although the transition was initially challenging, I persevered and regained my confidence. It was during this period that I realized a career in technology was my long-term aspiration. Throughout my tenure at Verizon, I embraced opportunities to work across various teams, acquiring valuable experience and honing my skills. Eventually, I made the decision to join MongoDB, which has provided me with an enriching journey and the chance to shape my career in the tech industry. JD: Have there been any challenges you've faced throughout your career? AN: Imposter syndrome has been a significant challenge for me throughout my career, and it's something I still deal with to this day. When surrounded by my talented colleagues, I would often compare myself to them and focus on my perceived weaknesses and flaws, leading to a lack of self-confidence. However, I tackled this issue by addressing my feelings with my manager. Her support and guidance helped me realize my own potential and acknowledge my accomplishments. Maintaining a positive mindset has enabled me to view myself as a competent engineer and recognize the value I bring to my team. I have learned to take ownership of my successes and embrace opportunities for growth. Stepping out of my comfort zone has become a regular practice, as personal and professional development often stems from embracing challenges and discomfort. By giving myself permission to take up space and be confident in my abilities, I have been able to overcome imposter syndrome and continue to thrive in my role. MB: I have been fortunate enough to work for companies and teams that value and respect me for the work I deliver. Being in the tech industry and growing up in a culturally diverse region of the country, I have had exposure to individuals from various backgrounds and identities, which has made me more comfortable as a Latinx individual in the industry. My personal goal is to promote a work environment where everyone is judged based on the contributions they bring to the team, rather than their identity. I believe in supporting and respecting the identities of my peers and coworkers while fostering a culture of inclusivity and equality. JD: How has MongoDB supported your career growth and development? AN: In my time working at MongoDB, I have experienced exceptional support that has greatly contributed to my professional development and growth. As an engineer at MongoDB, I have been provided with numerous opportunities to expand my knowledge and skills through participation in tech talks, hackathons, and continuous learning about emerging technologies. I am grateful for the proactive approach taken by my manager and team leaders in fostering my growth as an engineer. Additionally, MongoDB's commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident through the company's DEI initiatives. Platforms like our employee resource group “QueLatine” have made me feel a stronger sense of connection and belonging, particularly among my Latinx peers. By recognizing the power of our diverse backgrounds and experiences, MongoDB empowers us to have a meaningful impact in the industry. MB: I have experienced full support from my leader since day one. They have proactively sought to understand my career goals and have helped me create a clear career path to achieve those goals. This level of support has enabled me to take on challenging projects and initiatives within the company, allowing me to grow and develop in my career. Furthermore, MongoDB offers a wealth of learning and development resources to its employees, which I have fully utilized to continue learning and growing my skill set. JD: What is your advice for other Latines who want to begin careers in tech? AN: Having made a significant career change myself, I can empathize with the challenges that come with exploring new paths, particularly in the tech industry. As a Latina in tech, I feel a strong desire to encourage and raise awareness within our community about the incredible resources and opportunities that are available to us. My advice to others who may be considering a similar journey is to prioritize the continuous development of your technical skills, actively seek out mentoring opportunities, push yourself beyond your comfort zone by honing your networking abilities, and most importantly, believe in yourself and your ability to achieve great things! MB: Navigating the vast world of technology can certainly be overwhelming, but it's important not to fear feeling lost. Even after 12 years in this career, there are still days where I come across something I've never heard of before. Fortunately, we live in a world abundant with resources for continuous learning. My advice is to take the time to explore and ask questions. Seek out open-source projects that you can contribute to, and connect with other professionals in the tech industry who can share their experiences and provide guidance. Additionally, taking advantage of hackathons and other tech events can expose you to new technologies and ideas. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, and most importantly, don't give up! Join us in transforming the way developers work with data. Build your tech career at MongoDB .

September 20, 2023