How to Install MongoDB on Mac: Step-by-Step Guide

To install MongoDB on a Mac, use the Homebrew package manager by running brew tap mongodb/brew and then brew install mongodb-community. After installation, start MongoDB with brew services start mongodb-community to run it as a background service.

Syntax

These are the main commands to install and start MongoDB on Mac using Homebrew:

• brew tap mongodb/brew: Adds the official MongoDB Homebrew repository.
• brew install mongodb-community: Installs the latest MongoDB community edition.
• brew services start mongodb-community: Starts MongoDB as a background service.
• brew services stop mongodb-community: Stops the MongoDB service.

bash

brew tap mongodb/brew
brew install mongodb-community
brew services start mongodb-community

Example

This example shows how to install MongoDB, start the service, and verify it is running on your Mac.

bash

brew tap mongodb/brew
brew install mongodb-community
brew services start mongodb-community
mongosh --eval 'db.runCommand({ connectionStatus: 1 })'

Output

{ "ok" : 1, "operationTime" : Timestamp(1680000000, 1), "$clusterTime" : { "clusterTime" : Timestamp(1680000000, 1), "signature" : { "hash" : BinData(0, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA="), "keyId" : 0 } }, "authInfo" : { "authenticatedUsers" : [ { "user" : "your-username", "db" : "admin" } ], "authenticatedUserRoles" : [ { "role" : "root", "db" : "admin" } ] } }

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when installing MongoDB on Mac include:

• Not running brew tap mongodb/brew before installation, which causes the install command to fail.
• Forgetting to start the MongoDB service after installation, so MongoDB does not run.
• Using outdated Homebrew or macOS versions that may cause compatibility issues.
• Not checking if MongoDB is running with brew services list or ps aux | grep mongod.

bash

Wrong:
brew install mongodb-community

Right:
brew tap mongodb/brew
brew install mongodb-community
brew services start mongodb-community

Quick Reference

Command	Description
brew tap mongodb/brew	Add MongoDB Homebrew repository
brew install mongodb-community	Install MongoDB community edition
brew services start mongodb-community	Start MongoDB as a background service
brew services stop mongodb-community	Stop MongoDB service
mongosh	Open MongoDB shell to interact with the database

Key Takeaways

Use Homebrew to install MongoDB easily on Mac.

Always run 'brew tap mongodb/brew' before installing MongoDB.

Start MongoDB with 'brew services start mongodb-community' to run it in the background.

Verify MongoDB is running using 'mongosh' shell or 'brew services list'.

Keep Homebrew and macOS updated to avoid compatibility issues.