Connect to a Deployment

This page shows how to use the MongoDB Shell to connect to a MongoDB deployment. You can connect to a MongoDB Atlas cloud-hosted deployment, connect to a local deployment, or connect to another remote host with MongoDB Shell.

Prerequisites

To use the MongoDB Shell, you must have a MongoDB deployment to connect to.

For a free cloud-hosted deployment, you can use MongoDB Atlas.
To learn how to run a local MongoDB deployment, see Install MongoDB.

Supported MongoDB Versions

You can use the MongoDB Shell to connect to MongoDB version 4.2 or greater.

Install `mongosh`

These procedures assume you have already installed mongosh. For more information about installing mongosh, refer to Install mongosh.

Connect to a MongoDB Atlas Deployment

You can connect to your MongoDB Atlas deployment directly from your shell.

Get your Atlas Connection String

You need an Atlas connection string to connect from MongoDB Shell. You can get the Atlas connection string in the Atlas UI.

Refer to the Find Your MongoDB Atlas Connection String guide for details.

Set Your Database Credentials

If you haven't already created a database user, you must set a username and password. To connect to Atlas, pass your username with the connection string. the connection string to connect to Atlas. After you issue the connect command, the shell prompts for your password.

Connect to MongoDB Atlas with `mongosh`

To establish your connection, run the mongosh command with your connection string and options to establish the connection.

The connection string includes the following elements:

Your cluster name
A hash
A flag for the API version
A flag for the username you want to use to connect

It resembles the following string:

mongosh "mongodb+srv://YOUR_CLUSTER_NAME.YOUR_HASH.mongodb.net/" --apiVersion YOUR_API_VERSION --username YOUR_USERNAME

Note

Learn More

You can use other connection security options to connect to Atlas via mongosh. For information on connecting with a private IP for peering or a Private Endpoint connection, refer to the Atlas Connect via mongosh documentation.

Connect to a Local Deployment on the Default Port

To connect to a MongoDB deployment running on localhost with default port 27017, run mongosh without any options:

mongosh

This is equivalent to the following command:

mongosh "mongodb://localhost:27017"

Connect to a Local Deployment on a Non-Default Port

To specify a port to connect to on localhost, you can use either:

A connection string with the chosen port
The --port command-line option

For example, the following commands connect to a deployment running on localhost port 28015:

mongosh "mongodb://localhost:28015"

mongosh --port 28015

Connect to a Deployment on a Remote Host

To specify a remote host and port, you can use either:

A connection string with the chosen host and port.
The --host and --port command-line options. If you omit the --port option, mongosh uses the default port 27017.

For example, the following commands connect to a MongoDB deployment running on host mongodb0.example.com and port 28015:

mongosh "mongodb://mongodb0.example.com:28015"

mongosh --host mongodb0.example.com --port 28015

Note

Connect to MongoDB Atlas

If your remote host is an Atlas cluster, you can copy your connection string from the Atlas UI. To learn more, see Connect to a Cluster in the Atlas documentation.

Specify Connection Options

Specify different connection options to connect to different types of deployments.

Connect With Authentication

To connect to a MongoDB deployment that requires authentication, use the --username and --authenticationDatabase options. mongosh prompts you for a password, which it hides as you type.

For example, to authenticate as user alice on the admin database, run the following command:

mongosh "mongodb://mongodb0.example.com:28015" --username alice --authenticationDatabase admin

To provide a password as part of the connection command instead of using the prompt, use the --password option. Use this option for programmatic usage of mongosh, like a driver.

Tip

Connect with OpenID Connect

To connect to a deployment using OpenID Connect, use the --authenticationMechanism option and set it to MONGODB-OIDC. mongosh redirects you to a browser where you enter your identity provider's log-in information.

For example, the following connects to a local deployment using MONGODB-OIDC:

mongosh "mongodb://localhost/" --authenticationMechanism MONGODB-OIDC

Connect with LDAP

To connect to a deployment using LDAP:

Set --username to a username that respects the security.ldap.authz.queryTemplate, or any configured security.ldap.userToDNMapping template.
Set --password to the appropriate password. If you do not specify the password to the --password command-line option, mongosh prompts you for the password.
Set --authenticationDatabase to $external. The $external argument must be placed in single quotes, not double quotes, to prevent the shell from interpreting $external as a variable.
Set --authenticationMechanism to PLAIN.

Warning

When you use one-time passwords with LDAP authentication, adding the connection string options maxPoolSize=1&srvMaxHosts=1 to your connection string is recommended to reduce the potential for connection failures.

Include the --host and --port of the MongoDB deployment, along with any other options relevant to your deployment.

For example, the following operation authenticates to a MongoDB deployment running with LDAP authentication and authorization:

mongosh --username alice@dba.example.com --password  --authenticationDatabase '$external' --authenticationMechanism "PLAIN"  --host "mongodb.example.com" --port 27017

Connect to a Replica Set

To connect to a replica set, you can either:

Use the DNS Seedlist Connection Format.
Explicitly specify the replica set name and members in the connection string.

Option 1: DNS Seedlist Format

To use the DNS seedlist connection format, include the +srv modifier in your connection string.

For example, to connect to a replica set on server.example.com, run the following command:

mongosh "mongodb+srv://server.example.com/"

Note

+srv TLS Behavior

When you use the +srv connection string modifier, MongoDB automatically sets the --tls connection option to true. To override this behavior, set --tls to false.

Option 2: Specify Members in Connection String

You can specify individual replica set members in the connection string.

For example, to connect to a three-member replica set named replA, run the following command:

mongosh "mongodb://mongodb0.example.com.local:27017,mongodb1.example.com.local:27017,mongodb2.example.com.local:27017/?replicaSet=replA"

Note

directConnection Parameter Added Automatically

When you specify individual replica set members in the connection string, mongosh automatically adds the directConnection=true parameter, unless at least one of the following is true:

The replicaSet query parameter is present in the connection string.
The connection string uses the mongodb+srv:// connection string format.
The connection string contains a seed list with multiple hosts.
The connection string already contains a directConnection parameter.

When directConnection=true, all operations are run on the host specified in the connection URI.

Connect Using TLS

To connect to a deployment using TLS, you can either:

Use the DNS Seedlist Connection Format. The +srv connection string modifier automatically sets the tls option to true for the connection.
For example, to connect to a DNS seedlist-defined replica set with tls enabled, run the following command:
```
mongosh "mongodb+srv://server.example.com/"
```
Set the --tls option to true in the connection string.
For example, to enable tls with a connection string option, run the following command:
```
mongosh "mongodb://mongodb0.example.com:28015/?tls=true"
```
Specify the --tls command-line option.
For example, to connect to a remote host with tls enabled, run the following command:
```
mongosh "mongodb://mongodb0.example.com:28015" --tls
```

Connect to a Specific Database

To connect to a specific database, specify a database in your connection string URI path. If you do not specify a database in your URI path, you connect to the test database.

For example, to connect to a database called qa on localhost, run the following command:

mongosh "mongodb://localhost:27017/qa"

Connect to a Different Deployment

If you are already connected to a deployment in the MongoDB Shell, you can use the Mongo() or connect() method to connect to a different deployment from within the MongoDB Shell.

To learn how to connect to a different deployment using these methods, see Open a New Connection.

Verify Current Connection

To verify your current database connection, use the db.getMongo() method.

The method returns the connection string URI for your current connection.

Disconnect from a Deployment

To disconnect from a deployment and exit mongosh, perform one of the following actions:

Type .exit, exit, or exit().
Type quit or quit().
Press Ctrl + D.
Press Ctrl + C twice.

Non-genuine Deployments

The shell displays a warning message when you connect to non-genuine MongoDB instances. Non-genuine instances may behave differently from the official MongoDB instances due to missing, inconsistent, or incomplete features.

Limitations

Kerberos authentication does not allow authMechanismProperties=CANONICALIZE_HOST_NAME:true|false in the connection string. Instead, use either:
- authMechanismProperties=CANONICALIZE_HOST_NAME:forward
- authMechanismProperties=CANONICALIZE_HOST_NAME:forwardAndReverse
- authMechanismProperties=CANONICALIZE_HOST_NAME:none
mongosh currently only supports the zlib compressor. The following compressors are not supported:
- zstd
- snappy
Starting in mongosh 2.0.0:
For boolean values in connection strings, you:
- must use true or false.
- cannot use 1, y, yes, or t instead of true.
- cannot use -1, 0, n, no, or f instead of false.

← Install mongoshConfigure mongosh →

Prerequisites

Supported MongoDB Versions

Connect to a MongoDB Atlas Deployment

Get your Atlas Connection String

Set Your Database Credentials

Connect to MongoDB Atlas with mongosh

Note

Learn More

Connect to a Local Deployment on the Default Port

Connect to a Local Deployment on a Non-Default Port

Connect to a Deployment on a Remote Host

Note

Connect to MongoDB Atlas

Specify Connection Options

Connect With Authentication

Tip

See also:

Connect with OpenID Connect

Connect with LDAP

Warning

Connect to a Replica Set

Option 1: DNS Seedlist Format

Note

+srv TLS Behavior

Option 2: Specify Members in Connection String

Note

directConnection Parameter Added Automatically

Connect Using TLS

Connect to a Specific Database

Connect to a Different Deployment

Verify Current Connection

Disconnect from a Deployment

Non-genuine Deployments

Limitations

Connect to MongoDB Atlas with `mongosh`