MongoDB

What is MongoDB?

MongoDB is a document-oriented NoSQL database that stores data as flexible, JSON-like documents instead of rows and tables. It's a common choice for apps with unstructured or rapidly evolving schemas. Laradock runs it as its own container.

Start MongoDB

docker compose up -d mongo

Stop MongoDB

docker compose stop mongo

This stops the container without deleting its data. To remove the container (data on disk is untouched, it lives under DATA_PATH_HOST): docker compose rm -f mongo.

Configuration

All settings live in mongo/defaults.env and can be overridden by adding the same line to your own .env:

Variable	Default	What it does
MONGODB_PORT	27017	Host-side port MongoDB is published on (host:container).
MONGO_USERNAME	root	Root user created automatically on first boot (MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_USERNAME).
MONGO_PASSWORD	example	Password for the root user (MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_PASSWORD).

Data persists under DATA_PATH_HOST/mongo (database files) and DATA_PATH_HOST/mongo_config (config db).

Use MongoDB from Laravel

1. In .env, set both flags to true:
   • WORKSPACE_INSTALL_MONGO
   • PHP_FPM_INSTALL_MONGO
2. Rebuild the containers that need the PHP MongoDB driver:

   docker compose build workspace php-fpm

3. Start the database container:

   docker compose up -d mongo

4. Add a MongoDB connection to config/database.php:

   'connections' => [
   
       'mongodb' => [
           'driver'   => 'mongodb',
           'host'     => env('DB_HOST', 'localhost'),
           'port'     => env('DB_PORT', 27017),
           'database' => env('DB_DATABASE', 'database'),
           'username' => '',
           'password' => '',
           'options'  => [
               'database' => '',
           ]
       ],
   
       // ...
   
   ],

5. In your Laravel .env, set DB_HOST=mongo, DB_PORT=27017, and DB_DATABASE=database.
6. Install the Laravel MongoDB package (formerly jenssegers/mongodb, now maintained as mongodb/laravel-mongodb):

   composer require mongodb/laravel-mongodb

7. Extend your models from the MongoDB Eloquent model, enter the Workspace, and run php artisan migrate.

Connect from your host machine

Inside Laradock, other containers reach MongoDB by container name: DB_HOST=mongo. From your own machine, connect a GUI client (Compass, Studio 3T) to localhost on MONGODB_PORT (27017 by default) using MONGO_USERNAME/MONGO_PASSWORD.

Want a browser-based admin UI instead of a desktop client? See Mongo WebUI.

Common issues

• Auth fails right after first boot. MONGO_USERNAME/MONGO_PASSWORD are only applied when the data folder is created for the first time. Change them afterward and either drop DATA_PATH_HOST/mongo (data loss) or create the new user manually via the Mongo shell.
• App can't connect but the container is running. Confirm the app's .env uses DB_HOST=mongo (the container name), not localhost, which only works from your host machine.
• Driver not found in PHP. The Mongo PHP extension isn't installed by default, you must set WORKSPACE_INSTALL_MONGO and PHP_FPM_INSTALL_MONGO to true and rebuild before composer require mongodb/laravel-mongodb will work.
• Port already in use on your host. Another local MongoDB (or another Laradock project) is already bound to 27017. Change MONGODB_PORT in .env and restart.

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Need a graph database instead? See Neo4j. For the full list of services, see Getting Started.