ApostropheCMS MongoDB Development Setup (WSL, macOS, Linux)

This repository provides a quick way to set up MongoDB for ApostropheCMS development using Docker or Podman. It is optimized for WSL2 on Windows but works equally well on Linux and macOS.

🚀 Quick Start

1️⃣ Install Prerequisites

Make sure you have Docker or Podman installed:

• WSL2 (Windows): Install Docker Desktop or Podman.
• Mac/Linux: Install Docker via:

  brew install docker  # macOS (via Homebrew)
  sudo apt install docker.io  # Debian/Ubuntu

2️⃣ Clone This Repository

git clone https://github.com/BoDonkey/mongodb-container
cd mongodb-container

3️⃣ Start MongoDB

Run the startup script:

./start-mongo.sh

• 🐳 Automatically starts MongoDB using Docker or Podman.
• ✅ Handles port forwarding in WSL2 (Windows users).
• 🔄 Restarts MongoDB if already running.

MongoDB will be available at:

mongodb://localhost:27017

🛑 Stopping and Resetting MongoDB

Once MongoDB is running, you may need to stop it or reset the database during development.

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4️⃣ Stop MongoDB

If you need to stop the MongoDB container without deleting data, run:

./scripts/stop.sh

This will:

• 🛑 Stop the running MongoDB container.
• ✅ Ensure MongoDB is fully shut down before exiting.
• ⚠️ Does not delete stored data, so restarting will resume from the last state.

To restart MongoDB after stopping it, run:

./scripts/start.sh

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5️⃣ Reset the Database (⚠️ Deletes All Data)

If you need a fresh database (e.g., to clear test data), run:

./scripts/reset-data.sh

This will:

• 🛑 Stop MongoDB (if running).
• ❌ Delete all stored data (including all databases and collections).
• 🔄 Restart MongoDB with a clean slate.

🚨 Warning: This action cannot be undone. If you reset the database, all data will be permanently erased.

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🎯 When to Use Each Command

Command	Effect	Data Kept?	When to Use
./scripts/stop.sh	Stops MongoDB without deleting data	✅ Yes	Temporarily stop the database
./scripts/start.sh	Starts MongoDB (resumes from last state)	✅ Yes	Restart MongoDB after stopping
./scripts/reset-data.sh	Deletes all data and restarts MongoDB	❌ No	Start fresh with an empty database

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Need Help?

To check if MongoDB is running, use:

docker ps | grep apostrophe-mongodb

or for Podman:

podman ps | grep apostrophe-mongodb

To view MongoDB logs:

docker logs apostrophe-mongodb

or

podman logs apostrophe-mongodb

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📂 What’s Inside?

🔧 docker-compose.yml

• Runs MongoDB 6.0 in a container.
• Stores data in a persistent volume (mongodb_data) to ensure data persists between restarts.
• Uses --bind_ip_all to ensure access from WSL2, macOS, and Linux.

⚡ ./scripts/start.sh

• Detects Docker or Podman and starts MongoDB.
• ✅ Ensures MongoDB is running before exiting.
• For WSL2 users, sets up automatic port forwarding to allow access from Windows applications.

🛑 ./scripts/stop.sh

• Stops the running MongoDB container without deleting any data.
• ✅ Ensures MongoDB is fully shut down.
• 💾 Data is preserved, allowing a restart with ./scripts/start.sh.

⚠️ ./scripts/reset-data.sh

• Stops the MongoDB container.
• ❌ Deletes all stored data (resets the database).
• 🔄 Restarts MongoDB with a clean slate.

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🛠 Troubleshooting

Check if MongoDB is Running

docker ps | grep apostrophe-mongodb

or

podman ps | grep apostrophe-mongodb

Check MongoDB Logs

docker logs apostrophe-mongodb

or

podman logs apostrophe-mongodb

Fix: Cannot Connect to MongoDB in WSL2

If you see connection errors in Windows, try:

netsh interface portproxy show v4tov4

If 27017 is missing, rerun the startup script.

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🔥 Why Use This Setup?

✔️ No MongoDB Installation Required – Just run the script!
✔️ Works on macOS, Linux, and WSL2 – Cross-platform compatibility.
✔️ Fast & Isolated – No risk of conflicting system-wide MongoDB installations.
✔️ Persistent Data – Stored safely in a Docker volume.
✔️ Optimized for ApostropheCMS – Get started instantly!

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🌟 Contribute

Feel free to submit issues or PRs to improve this setup! 🚀

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