What is the correct way to start a mongod service on linux / OS X?

🖥️💡 The Correct Way to Start a mongod Service on Linux / OS X

So you've set up MongoDB on your Mac and you're ready to run the mongod service? Great! Starting the service can be a bit confusing, but fear not, we've got you covered! In this guide, we'll walk you through the correct way to start the mongod service on both Linux and OS X, address common issues, and provide easy solutions. Let's dive in! 💪

Starting the mongod Service on Linux

On Linux, you can start the mongod service using the following command:

sudo service mongod start

However, it's worth noting that the above command is deprecated and will still work but is not recommended. Instead, the preferred method is to use the launchctl command, like this:

sudo launchctl start mongod

If you come across the error message "launchctl start error: No such process", it means that the mongod service is not yet registered with launchctl. To resolve this, you need to create a configuration file for mongod. Here's how:

1. Open a new Terminal window.

2. Navigate to the /Library/LaunchDaemons/ directory.

3. Create a new file called mongod.plist by running the following command:

sudo nano mongod.plist

1. Copy and paste the following XML configuration into the file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>Label</key>
    <string>mongodb</string>
    <key>ProgramArguments</key>
    <array>
        <string>/usr/local/bin/mongod</string>
        <string>--config</string>
        <string>/usr/local/etc/mongod.conf</string>
    </array>
    <key>RunAtLoad</key>
    <true/>
</dict>
</plist>

1. Save the file and exit the text editor (Ctrl + X, then press Y and Enter).

2. Now, register the service with launchctl using the following command:

sudo launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/mongod.plist

1. Finally, start the mongod service by running:

sudo launchctl start mongodb

And voila! Your mongod service should now be up and running on Linux. 🎉

Starting the mongod Service on OS X

On OS X, you can start the mongod service using the following command:

brew services start mongodb

If you haven't installed MongoDB using Homebrew, you can start the mongod service manually by running the mongod command with the desired options. Here's an example:

mongod --config /usr/local/etc/mongod.conf --fork

The --config option allows you to specify the path to the configuration file, and the --fork option runs mongod in the background as a daemon process.

💡 Pro Tip: To view the logs of the mongod service, you can tail the logfile by running:

tail -f /usr/local/var/log/mongodb/mongo.log

Conclusion

Starting the mongod service on Linux or OS X might seem daunting at first, but with the right commands and configurations, you'll be up and running in no time! Remember to follow the correct commands for your specific operating system and always consult the official MongoDB documentation for the latest instructions.

If you found this guide helpful, make sure to share it with your fellow developers and give us a shout-out on Twitter @TechBlog! Happy coding! 🚀