Guide to Use PHP with MongoDB (with Examples)

How to Connect MongoDB with PHP?

To start using PHP with MongoDB, developers need to install the MongoDB extension for PHP, which can be easily done using the package manager or by downloading and compiling the extension manually. Once installed, the extension provides a set of functions and classes that allow developers to interact with MongoDB.

To connect MongoDB with PHP, you can follow these steps:

Installation

1. Ensure that you have PHP installed on your system. You can download and install PHP from the official PHP website .
2. Install the MongoDB extension for PHP. You can install it using the package manager or manually. To install via the package manager, run the following command:
   To install manually, you need to download the extension source code from the PECL website and follow the instructions provided in the documentation.
3. Once the extension is installed, you need to enable it in your PHP configuration file (php.ini). Locate the php.ini file and add the following line:
   Save the file and restart your web server.

Connecting with Atlas

1. Sign up for MongoDB Atlas, a cloud-based MongoDB service. You can create a free tier cluster or choose a suitable plan based on your requirements at MongoDB Atlas website.
2. After setting up your cluster, go to the "Clusters" section in the MongoDB Atlas dashboard and click on the "Connect" button for your cluster.
3. Choose the connection method as Connect your application and select the PHP driver version.
4. Copy the connection string provided by MongoDB Atlas. It should look similar to the following:

5. In your PHP code, establish a connection to MongoDB using the MongoClient class provided by the MongoDB extension. Replace <username>, <password>, <cluster-url>, and <database> in the connection string with your actual credentials and database information.
   You can now use the $database object to interact with your MongoDB database.

Compatibility

The MongoDB extension for PHP is compatible with various PHP versions. However, it's recommended to use a compatible version of the extension based on your PHP version. Make sure to check the MongoDB extension documentation or the PECL website for the compatibility matrix and choose the appropriate version of the extension.

It's also worth noting that MongoDB Atlas supports connection from various programming languages, including PHP. So, you can use the same connection process with other PHP frameworks and libraries as well.

Remember to handle exceptions and errors appropriately in your PHP code when connecting to MongoDB to ensure smooth operation and graceful error handling.

Selecting A Database and Making a Connection

To select a database and make a connection using PHP with MongoDB, you can follow these steps:

1. Install the MongoDB extension for PHP if you haven't done so already, as described in the previous section.
2. In your PHP code, establish a connection to MongoDB using the MongoClient class provided by the MongoDB extension. Specify the connection details such as the server address, authentication credentials, and any other necessary options.
   In this example, the connection is being made to a MongoDB server running on the local machine at the default port 27017. Adjust the server address and port as needed.
3. Once the connection is established, you can select a database to work with using the selectDatabase method on the $mongoClient object. Provide the name of the database you want to connect to as an argument.
   Replace mydatabase with the name of your actual database.
4. You can now perform various operations on the selected database, such as inserting, updating, querying, or deleting documents. For example, you can create a new collection and insert a document into it:
   In this example, a collection named mycollection is created within the selected database. The $document array represents the data to be inserted, and the insertOne method is used to insert the document into the collection.
5. You can continue working with the selected database by performing additional operations, such as querying documents or updating existing ones. Refer to the MongoDB extension documentation for PHP to explore the available methods and functionality for interacting with MongoDB using PHP.

How to Create a Collection in MongoDB Using PHP?

To create a collection in MongoDB using PHP, we can write the following code snippet given below:

After executing the code, the following will be prompted in the terminal as output

Document Insertion in MongoDB Using PHP

To insert data into MongoDB with PHP, firstly, we will prepare the document that you want to insert into the collection. It should be an associative array where the keys represent the field names and the values represent the corresponding field values.

After that, we will use the insertOne() or insertMany() method on the collection object to insert the document(s) into the MongoDB collection.

insertOne() is used to insert a single document

After successfully executing the code, the following will be prompted in the terminal as output

insertMany() is used to insert multiple documents at once:

The $result object returned by the insert operation provides information about the operation, such as the number of documents inserted and the IDs of the inserted documents.

Handle any potential errors or exceptions that may occur during the insertion process to ensure smooth execution and error handling.

By following these steps, you can insert documents into MongoDB using PHP. Remember to adjust the collection name, document structure, and error handling as per your specific application requirements.

Find All Documents in MongoDB Using PHP

We can use the find() method to fetch all the documents from the collection.

We can follow the below snippet of code to fetch all the documents:

After executing the code, the following will be prompted in the terminal as output:

How to Update a Document in MongoDB Using PHP

We can use the update() method to update any particular document from the database.

Prepare the update criteria and the new values for the document you want to update. You can use the $set operator to specify the fields and values to update.

In this example, we are updating the document with the specified _id value. Adjust the filter criteria and update values based on your specific needs.

Use the updateOne() or updateMany() method on the collection object to update the document(s) in MongoDB.

updateOne() is used to update a single document:

updateMany() is used to update multiple documents matching the filter criteria:

The $result object returned by the update operation provides information about the operation, such as the number of documents matched and the number of documents modified.

Handle any potential errors or exceptions that may occur during the update process to ensure smooth execution and error handling.

Deleting a Document in MongoDB Using PHP

To delete a document in MongoDB using PHP, you can follow these steps:

• Prepare the filter criteria to identify the document(s) you want to delete. The filter specifies the conditions that the document(s) must match for deletion.
  In this example, we are deleting the document with the specified _id value. Adjust the filter criteria based on your specific needs.
• Use the deleteOne() or deleteMany() method on the collection object to delete the document(s) in MongoDB.
• deleteOne() is used to delete a single document:

• deleteMany() is used to delete multiple documents matching the filter criteria:
  The $result object returned by the delete operation provides information about the operation, such as the number of documents matched and the number of documents deleted.
• Handle any potential errors or exceptions that may occur during the deletion process to ensure smooth execution and error handling.