mongosh | Ubuntu | Add User To Database With Read And Write Permissions

In MongoDB, managing users is essential for maintaining security and effective database access control. This article will guide you through the process of adding a new user to a MongoDB database using the MongoDB shell (mongosh) on an Ubuntu system. By granting specific permissions, you can ensure that users can interact with the database as needed while keeping sensitive data secure.

Before starting, make sure that MongoDB is installed on your Ubuntu system and that you have administrative access to the database. You should also have the mongosh command-line interface installed. If MongoDB is not installed, you can follow the official installation guide to set it up.

To interact with your MongoDB database, open a terminal on your Ubuntu machine and start the mongosh shell by typing mongosh. This will connect you to the local MongoDB server running on default port 27017.

Once in the mongosh shell, select the database to which you want to add the user. Use the use command followed by the database name. If the database doesn’t exist, MongoDB will create it for you when you insert the first document.

To create a new user, you'll use the db.createUser() method. This method takes an object with parameters defining the username, password, and the roles assigned to the user. For instance, to create a user with read and write access, specify the roles accordingly.

In the command used to create a new user, the roles array defines the permissions that the user will have. The readWrite role allows the user to both read and write data in the specified database. You can assign multiple roles if needed to customize the user's access level further. MongoDB has various built-in roles for different permission levels, such as dbAdmin, read, and readWriteAnyDatabase.

After creating the user, it’s a good practice to verify that the user has been added successfully. You can do this by running the command db.getUsers(), which lists all users in the current database along with their roles.

Adding users to a MongoDB database and managing their roles and permissions is crucial for database security and functionality. By following the above steps, you should now be able to create a new user with specific access rights, ensuring efficient yet secure interactions with your database. Always remember to follow the principle of least privilege when assigning roles to users to maintain your database's security.