1. Introduction to Mongoose and MongoDB

What is MongoDB?

MongoDB is a NoSQL database designed for flexibility and scalability. Unlike SQL databases (like PostgreSQL), MongoDB stores data in documents, which are JSON-like objects called BSON. These documents allow dynamic schemas, meaning you don’t need to define strict tables or columns upfront.

• Example MongoDB document for a student:

  {
    "firstName": "Alice",
    "lastName": "Johnson",
    "email": "alice.johnson@example.com",
    "enrollmentDate": "2024-09-15"
  }

This flexibility is one of MongoDB’s strengths, but without tools like Mongoose, you need to manage all validation and relationships in your code manually.

What is Mongoose?

Mongoose is an Object Data Modeling (ODM) library for MongoDB, much like how pg is a library for interacting with PostgreSQL.

• With pg: You write SQL queries to interact with the database directly.
• With Mongoose: You define schemas and use models that provide built-in methods for working with MongoDB collections.

In essence, Mongoose acts as a bridge between the flexible, document-based nature of MongoDB and the structured approach often desired in backend development.