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🗃️ MongoDB & Mongo Express – Docker Setup

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This guide provides a quick and easy way to run MongoDB and Mongo Express using Docker. It includes their purpose, Docker usage, and troubleshooting steps for container management.

📌 Overview

🔹 MongoDB

MongoDB is a popular NoSQL database that stores data in flexible, JSON-like documents. It’s ideal for scalable, high-performance applications where schema flexibility is important.

🔹 Mongo Express

Mongo Express is a lightweight, web-based admin interface for MongoDB. It allows you to:

  • View and manage databases
  • Browse collections and documents
  • Execute queries and CRUD operations
  • Use a user-friendly web UI to interact with MongoDB

🚀 Getting Started

Ensure Docker is installed and a custom Docker network exists:

docker network create project-network
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🐳 Start MongoDB Container 

docker run -d --name mongodb \
  --network project-network \
  -e MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_USERNAME=admin \
  -e MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_PASSWORD=password \
  -v mongo-data:/data/db \
  mongo:4.4
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Explanation:

  • Uses mongo:4.4 (recommended for CPUs without AVX support)
  • Stores data in a named volume: mongo-data
  • Runs on a shared Docker network for Mongo Express to connect

🐳 Start Mongo Express Container 

docker run -d --name mongo-express \
  --network project-network \
  -e ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_ADMINUSERNAME=admin \
  -e ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_ADMINPASSWORD=password \
  -e ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_SERVER=mongodb \
  -e ME_CONFIG_BASICAUTH_USERNAME=admin \
  -e ME_CONFIG_BASICAUTH_PASSWORD=pass123 \
  -p 8083:8081 \
  mongo-express:latest
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Access the Web UI: http://localhost:8083

Login Credentials:

  • Username: admin
  • Password: pass123

🛑 Troubleshooting: Force Stop Unresponsive Containers

If docker stop fails, you can manually stop the container using the container’s process ID:

1. Get the container's PID 

docker inspect --format '{{.State.Pid}}' <container_name>
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2. Kill the process 

sudo kill -9 <PID>
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3. Remove the container 

docker rm <container_name>
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(Optional) Restart Docker daemon 

sudo systemctl restart docker
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standard Docker commands to stop containers and clean up your environment:

🛑 Stop Docker Containers

Stop a specific container: 

docker stop <container_name_or_id>
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Stop all running containers: 

docker stop $(docker ps -q)
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🧼 Remove Docker Containers

Remove a specific container: 

docker rm <container_name_or_id>
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Remove all stopped containers: 

docker container prune
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Remove all containers (running or stopped): 

docker rm -f $(docker ps -aq)
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🗑️ Remove Docker Images

Remove a specific image: 

docker rmi <image_id>
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Remove all unused images: 

docker image prune
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Remove all images: 

docker rmi -f $(docker images -aq)
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🧹 Remove Docker Volumes (Optional)

Remove unused volumes: 

docker volume prune
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Remove all volumes: 

docker volume rm $(docker volume ls -q)
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🔄 Restart Docker (if needed) 

sudo systemctl restart docker
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🧹 Cleanup Docker Resources (Extreme Measures)

To remove all containers and images:

docker stop $(docker ps -aq)
docker rm $(docker ps -aq)
docker rmi -f $(docker images -aq)
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