The SQL Interface for Atlas and Enterprise Advanced (EA) lets non-developers query MongoDB data from the SQL tools they already use. It provides live, read-only access over standard ODBC and JDBC connections, eliminating the need to learn MQL or move data out of MongoDB for analytics. This simplifies operational reporting, accelerates insights, and ensures data remains accurate and consistent.
Supported Versions
The SQL Interface supports connections from:
Atlas Clusters: MongoDB 5.0 and later.
Self-Managed EA Clusters: MongoDB 6.0 and later.
SQL Interface Components
The SQL Interface deployment consists of four components:
Your BI visualization and reporting tool used to analyze data, such as Tableau or Power BI.
A JDBC or ODBC driver that connects your BI tool to your MongoDB database. The driver you select depends on your BI tool.
The MongoDB SQL Schema Builder that manages the JSON schema required to translate SQL queries between your BI tool and MongoDB database. In Atlas, the MongoDB SQL Schema Builder is built-in to the Atlas UI. For self-managed EA deployments, you download the MongoDB SQL Schema Builder as a CLI tool.
A MongoDB database where your data resides, either an Atlas cluster or a self-managed EA database.
Key Benefits of the MongoDB SQL Interface
- Schema Improvements
- Experience significantly improved schema computations that adapt to your data. There's no need for cumbersome schema files as MongoSQL dynamically derives schemas on-the-fly and stores them in the database for easy retrieval. The schema mapping is very accurate with no sampling.
- Simple & Secure
- Enjoy a simplified setup with no complex proxy configurations, allowing you to connect directly to your MongoDB cluster. It offers robust authentication with support for X509 and OIDC protocols.
- First-class SQL Experience
- Leverage rich objects and arrays with native driver support, enhancing your data interactions. Server restarts are seamless, ensuring uninterrupted operations and high availability. The interface uses MongoSQL, a MongoDB-Native SQL-92 compatible dialect, which supports complex transformations like flattening nested objects and unwinding arrays directly within SQL queries.
- Unified Access
- Provides the same drivers, connectors, and schema mapping for Atlas Cloud, Atlas Data Federation, and self-managed EA databases.
- BI Tool Integration
- The Power BI Connector is certified by Microsoft and the Tableau Connector is developed in partnership with Tableau. It supports Power BI with DirectQuery and Tableau Desktop, Tableau Server, and Tableau Prep. Tableau Cloud support is expected in the first half of 2025.
MongoDB SQL Interface Compatibility Considerations
When using the SQL Interface, consider the following points to ensure your setup is compatible and up-to-date:
There is no official EOL for SQL Interface components, including drivers, connectors, and the MongoDB SQL Schema Builder. Instead, their lifecycle is tied to the compatibility of the MongoDB server versions and language runtimes they are designed to work with.
SQL Interface components remain compatible with a MongoDB server version for up to 3 years after that server version's EOL. To learn more, see MongoDB Software Lifecycle Schedules.
We recommend upgrading your SQL Interface components to the latest version, especially when upgrading your MongoDB server. This ensures access to new features, performance enhancements, and long-term compatibility. To see the latest versions, go to the MongoDB download center.
Later versions of SQL Interface components might drop support for earlier MongoDB server versions or specific language runtimes, such as Node.js versions. We recommend reviewing the SQL Interface Changelog to stay informed about compatibility changes and upgrade requirements.
Legacy Options
The MongoDB Connector for BI is the legacy tool for connecting BI analytics tools to a MongoDB database or cluster. The BI Connector reaches End-of-Life (EOL) in September 2026.