Basic MongoDB Commands: mongo, mongosh, and GUI Tools

A Super Simple, Fun, and Powerful Guide for Everyone

Imagine MongoDB as a magic notebook where you can write anything—stories, drawings, lists, or even secret codes. You don’t need to follow strict rules like in a school register. This MongoDB commands tutorial teaches you how to talk to MongoDB using simple commands and cool tools.Whether you're just starting or a pro developer, this guide is made for you!

We’ll cover:

mongo (old shell still used sometimes)
mongosh (new, modern shell, the future!)
GUI Tools (like clicking buttons instead of typing!)

Let’s begin!

Part 1: What Are These Tools?

Tool	What It Is	Best For
mongo	Old command-line shell	Legacy systems, quick checks
mongosh	New and improved shell (2021+)	Everyone! Modern, colorful, smart
GUI Tools	Click-and-play apps (like Compass)	Beginners, visual learners, fast testing

Fun Fact: mongosh = MongoDB Shell. It’s like upgrading from a bicycle to a rocket bike!

Part 2: Starting with mongosh (The Best Way!)

Step 1: Open mongosh

After installing MongoDB (see our previous tutorial), open your terminal (Linux/macOS) or Command Prompt/PowerShell (Windows).

Type:

mongosh

You’ll see something like this:

Current Mongosh Log ID:  671a1f2c...
Connecting to:           mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017/?directConnection=true
Using MongoDB:           7.0.5
Using Mongosh:           2.2.12

test>

Beginner Tip: The > is your cursor. Type commands here and press Enter!

Basic Commands You Must Know

Let’s learn with a school example! We’ll store student info.

1. Switch to a Database

use school

Creates or switches to school database. Like opening a new notebook labeled "School".

Pro Tip: Even if it doesn’t exist, MongoDB creates it when you save data!

2. Insert a Student (Add Data)

db.students.insertOne({
  name: "Rohan",
  age: 13,
  class: "8th",
  hobbies: ["cricket", "drawing"]
})

Output:

{
  acknowledged: true,
  insertedId: ObjectId("671a2f1d...")
}

Beginner Example: You just added a new student card to your magic notebook!
Expert Insight: insertOne() is atomic. Safe for one record. Use insertMany() for bulk.

3. Find Students (Search)

db.students.find()

Output:

{
  "_id": ObjectId("671a2f1d..."),
  "name": "Rohan",
  "age": 13,
  "class": "8th",
  "hobbies": ["cricket", "drawing"]
}

Pretty Print (Easier to Read):

db.students.find().pretty()

4. Find Specific Students

db.students.find({ age: 13 })
db.students.find({ "hobbies": "cricket" })

Beginner Example: Like asking, “Show me all kids who play cricket.”

Expert Tip: Use operators:
$gt → greater than
$in → in a list
$ne → not equal

db.students.find({ age: { $gt: 12 } })

5. Update a Student

db.students.updateOne(
  { name: "Rohan" },
  { $set: { class: "9th", age: 14 } }
)

Beginner Example: Rohan got promoted! We updated his class.
Expert: Use $inc to increase numbers:

db.students.updateOne(
  { name: "Rohan" },
  { $inc: { age: 1 } }
)

6. Delete a Student

db.students.deleteOne({ name: "Rohan" })

Careful! This removes the student forever.
Safer Way (for testing):

db.students.deleteMany({ class: "temp" })

7. List All Databases

show dbs

8. List Collections (Tables)

show collections

9. Drop (Delete) a Collection

db.students.drop()

10. Drop Entire Database

db.dropDatabase()

Warning: Only do this if you’re sure!

Part 3: mongo vs mongosh: What’s the Difference?

Feature	mongo (Old)	mongosh (New)
Release Year	2011	2021
Syntax Highlighting	No	Yes (colorful!)
Auto-complete	Basic	Smart (Tab = magic!)
JavaScript Support	Limited	Full ES6+
Multi-line Editing	Hard	Easy (like code editor)
Built-in Help	help	? or .help
Future-Proof	Deprecated	Officially Supported

Bottom Line: Always use mongosh!
mongo is like an old phone. It works, but why not use a smartphone?

Part 4: GUI Tools: Click Instead of Type!

1. MongoDB Compass (Free & Official)

Download: mongodb.com/compass

How to Use (Step-by-Step)

Open Compass
Connect to Localhost
Connection String: mongodb://localhost:27017
Click Connect

See Your Data Visually!
Click on school → students
You’ll see Rohan’s data in a table!
Click to Edit, Delete, or Add
No typing needed!

Beginner Win: Perfect for learning without fear of typos.
Expert Win: Export/import JSON, analyze indexes, build aggregation pipelines visually.

2. VS Code + MongoDB Extension

For Coders Who Love VS Code

Install MongoDB for VS Code extension
Connect to mongodb://localhost:27017
Write queries in .mongodb files with syntax highlighting

// students.mongodb
use school
db.students.find({ age: { $gte: 13 } })

Run with: Ctrl + Alt + Enter
Pro Tip: Save queries, share with team, version control with Git!

3. MongoDB Atlas (Cloud) + Web Shell

No installation needed!
Go to cloud.mongodb.com
Create free cluster
Click "Open MongoSH" → Web-based mongosh

Beginner: Try MongoDB in your browser!
Expert: Deploy, scale, monitor from one dashboard.

Part 5: Mini Project: Build a "Class Diary"

Let’s practice everything!

Step 1: Create Diary

use classDiary

Step 2: Add Entries

db.entries.insertMany([
  {
    date: "2025-10-24",
    title: "Science Fair",
    mood: "excited",
    highlights: ["Won 1st prize!", "Robot worked!"]
  },
  {
    date: "2025-10-23",
    title: "Rainy Day",
    mood: "calm",
    highlights: ["Read Harry Potter", "Ate Maggi"]
  }
])

Step 3: Query Fun

// Find happy days
db.entries.find({ mood: "excited" })

// Find entries with "prize"
db.entries.find({ highlights: "Won 1st prize!" })

// Update mood
db.entries.updateOne(
  { title: "Rainy Day" },
  { $set: { mood: "cozy" } }
)

Try in Compass too! See the data as a table.

Part 6: Cheat Sheet (Print & Stick!)

Command	What It Does
mongosh	Open modern shell
use dbname	Switch/create database
db.collection.insertOne({})	Add one record
db.collection.find()	Show all data
db.collection.find({key: value})	Search
db.collection.updateOne(filter, update)	Change data
db.collection.deleteOne({})	Remove one record
show dbs	List databases
show collections	List tables
db.dropDatabase()	Delete current DB

Part 7: Tips for All Levels

For Beginners

Start with Compass – no typing!
Use pretty() to read output easily
Make a "Game Scores" or "Pet Diary" project

For Medium Learners

Practice aggregation:

db.students.aggregate([
  { $match: { age: { $gte: 13 } } },
  { $group: { _id: "$class", count: { $sum: 1 } } }
])

Learn indexing:

db.students.createIndex({ name: 1 })

For Experts

Use transactions (MongoDB 4.0+):

const session = db.getMongo().startSession()
session.startTransaction()
// ... operations
session.commitTransaction()

Monitor with mongostat, mongotop
Connect via drivers (Python, Node.js)

Final Words

You now know how to talk to MongoDB like a pro!
Use mongosh for power and fun
Use Compass for visual magic
Build projects to remember forever

Your Next Step:

use myWorld
db.me.insertOne({ name: "You", skill: "MongoDB Hero", level: "Beginner → Expert" })

You did it!

Resources:

Keep exploring! The world of data is waiting for you.

💡 Have questions or want me to cover MongoDB queries or Atlas setup next? Drop a comment below!

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Basic MongoDB Commands Tutorial: Learn mongo, mongosh, and GUI Tools Step-by-Step