Bringing NoSQL to Django: A First Look at Django MongoDB Backend Package

Django has long been synonymous with relational databases like PostgreSQL and MySQL. However, with the increasing popularity of NoSQL databases, especially MongoDB, developers have been looking for ways to integrate Django with MongoDB efficiently. Enter Django MongoDB Backend — a promising new backend that brings native MongoDB support to Django’s ORM.

Currently it’s in development, this backend is not yet production-ready, but it opens exciting possibilities for Django developers who prefer the flexibility of document-based storage.

In this blog, we’ll explore how to set up Django with MongoDB, its capabilities, and why it could be a game-changer for certain applications.

Installing Django MongoDB Backend

Before diving into the setup, it’s important to install the right version of django-mongodb-backend that corresponds to your Django version. For example, if you’re using Django 5.1.x, install the package using:

pip install --pre django-mongodb-backend==5.1.*

(Note: The --pre flag is required since the package is still in beta.)

Official doc : https://github.com/mongodb/django-mongodb-backend

Quickstart: Setting Up Django with MongoDB

1. Creating a New Django Project

Run the following command to start a Django project using the official MongoDB Django template. Ensure that the version in the URL matches your Django version:

django-admin startproject example --template https://github.com/mongodb-labs/django-mongodb-project/archive/refs/heads/5.1.x.zip

2. Configuring the Database Connection

After creating the project, navigate to example/settings.py and update the DATABASES configuration:

# settings.py 
DATABASES = { 
    "default": django_mongodb_backend.parse_uri( 
        "<CONNECTION_STRING_URI>", db_name="example" 
    ), 
}

Replace <CONNECTION_STRING_URI> with your MongoDB connection string.

3. Running the Django Server

To verify the installation, navigate to your project’s root directory and run:

python manage.py runserver

Now, visit http://127.0.0.1:8000/. If everything is set up correctly, you’ll see a "Congratulations!" message along with a rocket image.

Capabilities of Django MongoDB Backend

This new backend introduces MongoDB support while maintaining Django’s familiar ORM structure. Here are some of its key capabilities:

1. ORM Support for MongoDB Documents

• Store Django model instances as MongoDB documents.
• Maps Django’s built-in fields to MongoDB data types.
• Provides custom fields like ArrayField (for arrays) and EmbeddedModelField (for embedded documents).
• Supports Django’s migration functionalities for schema evolution.

2. Advanced Indexing

• Create single, compound, partial, and unique indexes using Django’s Indexes feature.
• Optimize query performance using MongoDB’s powerful indexing mechanisms.

3. Querying with Django QuerySets

• Supports most of Django’s QuerySet API, making it easy for developers to transition from SQL to NoSQL.
• Enables relational field usage, including JOIN-like operations using MongoDB Query Language (MQL).
• A custom QuerySet.raw_aggregate method allows Vector Search, Atlas Search, and GeoSpatial queries, unlocking MongoDB’s advanced query capabilities.

4. Django Admin & Authentication Integration

• Manage MongoDB data seamlessly in Django’s admin dashboard.
• Fully integrated with Django’s authentication framework.
• Supports native user management, session handling, and authentication features.

Why Use Django with MongoDB?

While Django’s ORM is traditionally designed for SQL databases, integrating MongoDB can be beneficial for applications that:

• Require high scalability — MongoDB’s document-based architecture allows for flexible schema changes.
• Need high-speed queries on large datasets — MongoDB’s indexing and aggregation framework outperforms SQL in certain analytical queries.
• Work with hierarchical or nested data — Unlike relational databases, MongoDB natively supports nested documents and arrays.
• real-time analytics — Features like Atlas Search and Vector Search provide powerful querying capabilities beyond traditional SQL.

Limitations & Future Development

Since Django MongoDB Backend is still in development, there are some limitations to be aware of:

• Not yet production-ready — Breaking changes may occur in future updates.
• Limited support for some Django ORM features — While most of the ORM works, certain complex queries may require direct MongoDB queries.
• No official support from Django yet — This backend is an experimental project from the MongoDB team, and not an official part of Django.

However, as this backend matures, it has the potential to revolutionize how Django developers build NoSQL-powered applications.

Conclusion

The Django MongoDB Backend is an exciting step toward integrating NoSQL databases with Django. While still in its early stages, it brings powerful MongoDB capabilities into Django’s ecosystem, allowing developers to work with document-based storage while retaining Django’s ORM advantages.

If you’re interested in contributing or providing feedback, check out the MongoDB Community Forum to help shape the future of this backend.

Would you try Django with MongoDB? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!