Using MongoDB from client with Javascript

Question

I am trying to use MongoDB with just javascript from client, but MongoDB's documentation on how to achieve this is very confusing.

On this webpage there is nothing to download, I was expecting to see something like mongo.js.

Here I did find mongo.js, and using this I am trying to make it work but with no luck.

The Javascript console in Google Chrome is saying:

Uncaught TypeError: Object [object Object] has no method 'init'

In this snippet from mongo.js:

if ( typeof Mongo == "undefined" ){   Mongo = function( host ){     this.init( host );     } } 

Does anyone have any tips on using MongoDB with pure Javascript?

Answer 1

The documentation you linked to is about accessing MongoDB with server-sided Javascript using the node.js framework.

MongoDB does offer a REST webservice allowing rudimentary queries through XmlHttpRequests. To enable it, you have to start mongod with the --rest parameter. You can then query it like this:

http://127.0.0.1:28017/yourDatabase/yourCollection/?filter_name=Bob 

You can query this URL with an AJAX XmlHttpRequest like any webservice. It will access a database on localhost and return JSON equivalent to a query like this:

yourDatabase.yourCollection.find({name:"Bob"}); 

This interface, however, is very rudimentary. It only offers simple find queries. But there are 3rd party middleware layers which expose more advanced functionality. This feature and a list of 3rd party solutions is documented here:

http://docs.mongodb.org/ecosystem/tools/http-interfaces/