104

I am kind of new to mac as well as mongodb.

I have a weird doubt, accessing the database created using mongodb on mac?

I know, in windows there is a folder called c:\data\db, where my database files are stored.

How and where in mac, the database is stored.

I remember doing something like 

sudo mkdir -p /data/db
sudo chown `id -u` /data/db

to create such a folder on mac, but I didn't find any database file in this folder, though i created a database.

Where are the database files saved on mac?

Any help would be really appreciated.

Spaniard89
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6 Answers6

217

If MongoDB is installed on macOS via Homebrew, the default data directory depends on the type of processor in the system.

Intel Processor Apple M1 Processor
Data Directory /usr/local/var/mongodb /opt/homebrew/var/mongodb
Configuration file /usr/local/etc/mongod.conf /opt/homebrew/etc/mongod.conf
Log directory /usr/local/var/log/mongodb /opt/homebrew/var/log/mongodb

Run brew --prefix to see where Homebrew installed these files.

See the MongoDB "Install on macOS" documentation for additional details.

Mark Edington
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  • I was looking for some light in the darkness by checking the formula at https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew/blob/master/Library/Formula/mongodb.rb thanks. – alexserver Mar 12 '14 at 17:42
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    In newer versions of Homebrew, it's `/opt/homebrew/var/mongodb`. – JW. Jan 15 '22 at 19:29
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    Thanks @JW. I updated the answer to include what I found in the MongoDB docs. Let me know if you see anything else that needs updating. – Mark Edington Jan 16 '22 at 23:43
161

Thanks @Mark, I keep forgetting this again and again. After installing MongoDB with Homebrew:

  • The databases are stored in the /usr/local/var/mongodb/ directory
  • The mongod.conf file is here: /usr/local/etc/mongod.conf
  • The mongo logs can be found at /usr/local/var/log/mongodb/
  • The mongo binaries are here: /usr/local/Cellar/mongodb/[version]/bin
Uyghur Lives Matter
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simonbogarde
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101

The default data directory for MongoDB is /data/db.

This can be overridden by a dbpath option specified on the command line or in a configuration file.

If you install MongoDB via a package manager such as Homebrew or MacPorts these installs typically create a default data directory other than /data/db and set the dbpath in a configuration file.

If a dbpath was provided to mongod on startup you can check the value in the mongo shell:

db.serverCmdLineOpts()

You would see a value like:

"parsed" : {
    "dbpath" : "/usr/local/data"
},
Stennie
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    It is also worth noting that your `mongod` server does not have to run as the `root` user. You do need to ensure that your data directory permissions include read/write access for the user account the `mongod` server is using. – Stennie Dec 11 '12 at 20:41
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    When I input getCommandLineOpts(), I get something like `ReferenceError: getCommandLineOpts is not defined (shell):1´. Any help?? – Spaniard89 Dec 12 '12 at 09:45
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    What version of MongoDB are you using? You should be able to check that with `db.serverStatus().version`. I believe the shell helper for `getCommandLineOpts()` was added in MongoDB 2.0. You could also try: `db.getSiblingDB("admin").runCommand({getCmdLineOpts:1})`. – Stennie Dec 12 '12 at 09:57
  • I use version 2.2.2, when i tried `db.getSiblingDB("admin").runCommand({getCmdLineOpts:1})` I got something like `{ "argv" : [ "./bin/mongod" ], "parsed" : { }, "ok" : 1 }` Does that mean, my database directory is not set?? – Spaniard89 Dec 12 '12 at 10:05
  • I got it mate, I created a folder called data in the root and a subfolder db. Now it's showing the path. Thanks a lot for the help. – Spaniard89 Dec 12 '12 at 10:22
  • Yes, if you don't see an entry for `dbpath` under the `parsed` config options the default path of `/data/db` is being used. – Stennie Dec 12 '12 at 11:54
  • @Stennie so your suggestion worked. `db.getSiblingDB("admin").runCommand({getCmdLineOpts:1})` Anyone care to edit this answer to make it more visible? – kgpdeveloper Feb 15 '14 at 19:23
  • @kgpdeveloper: updated with even shorter syntax: db.adminCommand("getCmdLineOpts") – Stennie Feb 15 '14 at 20:06
28

I had the same problem, with version 3.4.2

to run it (if you installed it with homebrew) run the process like this:

$ mongod --dbpath /usr/local/var/mongodb
Runnerdave
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10

I have just installed mongodb 3.4 with homebrew.(brew install mongodb) It looks for /data/db by default.

https://docs.mongodb.com/manual/tutorial/install-mongodb-on-os-x/

Here is the output of mongod execution.

csonuryilmaz
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    This is if you start `mongod` directly from the terminal. If you use `brew services start mongodb`, the process will use the config file at `/usr/local/etc/mongod.conf` which, in turn, specifies a `dbPath` of `/usr/local/var/mongodb` – Molomby Apr 27 '17 at 05:23
  • Thanks @Molomby for the contribution. I wasn't started that way, I didn't even know that way. :) – csonuryilmaz Apr 27 '17 at 06:33
1

Env: macOS Mojave 10.14.4

Install: homebrew

Location:/usr/local/Cellar/mongodb/4.0.3_1

Note :If update version by brew upgrade mongo,the folder 4.0.4_1 will be removed and replace with the new version folder

jyjin
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