This document provides an overview of getting started with MongoDB and .NET in 30 minutes or less. It discusses challenges in modeling a dynamic database in a static language like .NET, and introduces the MongoDB C# driver API including connecting to a MongoDB server, performing basic CRUD operations on documents through collections, querying, sorting, and updating documents. Additional features like connection pooling, GridFS, MapReduce, and executing JavaScript on the server are also mentioned. The document concludes by pointing to resources for downloading MongoDB and the C# driver source code, as well as support forums.

1. and .Net
Getting Started in 30 Minutes or Less
Sam Corder
@SamCorder
samus@codeargyle.com

2. Baseline
• MongoDB?
• .Net?

3. Statically Dynamic
• Challenges
• Model a dynamic database in a static
language
• Javascript(json/bson) is not 1:1 with .Net
• Compromises
• Documents
• Certain conventions (Arrays & Dates)

4. API Overview
• Mongo - Entry point into server
• Database - Operations on a Database
• Collection - Queries
• Document - Basic unit
• Cursor - Holds query results
* Database and Collection to be
prefixed with “Mongo” in v 0.90

5. Mongo Types
.Net Type Mongo Type
Oid ObjectID _id
Code
CodeWScope
Javascript
Binary Binary
DBRef DBRef
MongoRegex Javascript regex

6. Diving In

7. Getting Connected
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<section name="Mongo" type="MongoDB.Driver.Configuration.MongoConfigurat
ionSection, MongoDB.Driver" />
</configSections>
<Mongo>
<connections>
<add key="tests" connectionString="Server=localhost:27017" />
</connections>
</Mongo>
</configuration>
string connstr = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["simple"];
if(String.IsNullOrEmpty(connstr))
throw new ArgumentNullException("Connection string not found.");
mongo = new Mongo(connstr);
mongo.Connect();
ShowUsing();
var mongo = new M
mongo.Connect();

8. Inserts
library = mongo["library"];
albums = library["albums"];
albums.Insert(new Document(){{"Artist", "Seth Walker"},
{"Title", "Leap of Faith"},
{"Genre", "Blues"}});
albums.Insert(new Document(){{"Artist", "BB King"},
{"Title", "Lucille"},
{"Genre", "Blues"}}, true);
• Insert a single document at a time
• Insert multiples with IEnumerable
• Safemode for when you need to know it
got there var albums = db["albums"]
Describe(albums);
• _id Automatically added to documents
albums.Insert(new Docum
"Lucille"}, {"Artist", "BB Ki
Show in shell

9. Finding Our Data
var cursor = albums.Find(new Document(){{"Artist", "BB King"}});
cursor.Sort("Artist").Limit(5); //Fluent addition of criteria
using(cursor){
foreach(Document doc in cursor.Documents){
Console.WriteLine(doc.ToString());
}
}
• Results lazily loaded in batches
• Cursor should be disposed
• Javascript using CodeWScope and $where var doc = albums.FindOn
doc.ToString();

10. Updating
Document lucille = albums.FindOne(new Document(){{"Artist", "BB King"}, {"Title",
"Lucille"}});
var id = lucille["_id"]; //Oid
lucille["Released"] = 1968;
lucille["Songs"] = new Document[]{
new Document(){{"Title","Lucille"},{"length", "10:16"}},
new Document(){{"Title","You Move Me So"},{"length", "2:03"}},
new Document(){{"Title","Stop Puttin the Hurt on Me"},{"length", "3:04"}},
new Document(){{"Title","Watch Yourself"},{"length", "5:47"}}
};
albums.Save(lucille);
albums.Update(lucille, new Document(){{"_id", id}}); //Same as above
• By default replaces document doc["Genre"] = "Blues";
albums.Save(doc);
• $ ($set) modifiers for partial update
var doc = albums.FindOne(new
doc.ToString();
• Use Save() for individual documents
• UpdateAll with a modifier query and a spec

11. Deleting
//remove documents with the genre Rock.
albums.Delete(new Document(){{"Genre", "Rock"}});
//remove everything from the albums collection.
albums.Delete(new Document());
• Delete takes a query like Find
• Careful and empty Document deletes all

12. Additional Features
• Connection Pooling
• Various extra functions (Count, Hint,
Explain, FindAndModify, etc.)
• GridFS via Streams
• Map Reduce
• Execute Javascript on server
• Mono

13. Heading to 1.0
• Type safe Collections
IMongoCollection<T>
• Improved Linq support
• Projections, Aggregates, Conditions, Skip,
Take
• Updated GridFS API

14. Resources
• Download Mongo at mongodb.org
• C# driver http://github.com/samus/
mongodb-csharp
• http://groups.google.com/group/mongodb-
csharp
• 10gen offers commercial support