Node.js MongoDB Create Collection

In this Node.js tutorial, we will learn to use the db.createCollection() method with an example to create a collection in the MongoDB database from a Node.js application.

The following is a step-by-step guide with an example of creating a collection in MongoDB from a Node.js application.

Start the MongoDB service. Run the following command to start the MongoDB service

sudo service mongod start

Get the basic URL of the MongoDB service. To find out the basic URL of the MongoDB service, a simple trick is to open the terminal and run the Mongo Shell.
Terminal - Mongo Shell

arjun@nodejs:~$ mongo
MongoDB shell version v3.4.9
connecting to: mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017
MongoDB server version:　3.4.9
Server has startup warnings:　
2017-10-29T18:15:36.110+0530 I STORAGE [initandlisten]

When the Mongo Shell starts, it echoes the basic URL of MongoDB.

mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017

Prepare the complete URL. Attach the name of the database you want to connect to (e.g., newdb) to the base URL.

mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017/newdb

Create a MongoClient.

var MongoClient = require('mongodb').MongoClient;

Connect to the MongoDB server with the help of the URL.

MongoClient.connect(url, <callback_function>);

Once the attempt to establish a connection with MongoClient is completed, the callback function will receive an error and a db object as parameters.

If the connection is successful, the db object points to the database newdb.

Create a MongoDB collection in the database. The following is the syntax for the createCollection() method used to create a collection in MongoDB from Node.js.

db.createCollection(<collection_name>, <callback_function>)

Parameter Description:

• collection_name　　 -　 The name of the new MongoDB collection we want to create

• callback_function　 - 　 After Node.js attempts to create a collection and prepares the result, this Node.js callback function will be called. The callback function receives an error and a result object as parameters.

Sample Node.js Program

node-js-mongodb-create-collection.js

//　We create a user collection in the newdb database.
var url = "mongodb://localhost:27017/newdb
　
//Create a client to mongodb
var MongoClient = require('mongodb').MongoClient;
　
//Connect the client to the mongo service
MongoClient.connect(url, function(err, db) {
　　　　if (err) throw err;
　　　　//db pointing to newdb
　　　　console.log("Switched to "+db.databaseName+"database");
　　　　//Create a user collection in the database
　　　　db.createCollection("users", function(err, result) {
　　　　　　　　if (err) throw err;
　　　　　　　　console.log("Collection is created!");
　　　　　　　　//Close the connection with db after completion
　　　　　　　　db.close();
　　　　});
});

Output Result

arjun@tutorialkart:~/workspace/nodejs/mongodb$ node node-js-mongodb-create-collection.js
Switched to newdb database
Collection is created!