How to get started with MongoDB as a Student
Tags: mongodb, nosql, database, databasemanagement
Published: 2023-09-14 04:00:32

As student with a passion for the developer community, I have participated in varous hackathons, and gotten involved in my student community. 

Throughout these experiences, I have had the opportunity to learn and develop projects using the MERN stack (MERN stands for MongoDB, Express, React, Node, after the four key technologies that make up the stack. MongoDB — document database. Express(.js) — Node.js web framework. React(.js) — a client-side JavaScript framework.) More information can be seen on their blog [here.](https://www.mongodb.com/mern-stack#:~:text=MERN%20stands%20for%20MongoDB%2C%20Express,a%20client%2Dside%20JavaScript%20framework)

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/nzz4ooe0i3scj8s4xa63.png)

As a software engineering intern, I have had the opportunity to also see how often MongoDB is used within projects, and how its capabilities have contributed to more efficient and reliable projects. 

Finally, In my previous semester, I had the opportunity to take a course on unstructured data, (for any students at western, CS4417 is the course!) where I was able to learn more about unstructured data, noSQL, and work on an assignment involving MongoDB, Aggregation, and MapReduce. Im happy to make seperate blog posts about these projects as well for any students interested in exploring applications and ways to use MongoDB in their own projects. 

Overall, MongoDB is a great tool to be able to leverage in your projects! Now you might be wondering, how do I get started? 

MLH (Major League Hacking) is a large hackathon organizer and a community that I have been involved in since the summer of 2020. 

As mentioned in their [website post](https://news.mlh.io/major-league-hacking-mongodb-partner-to-inspire-the-next-generation-of-builders-03-27-2023), 

> MongoDB Atlas – Best Database Platform for Your Next Hackathon
MongoDB Atlas is a multi-cloud database with an integrated set of related services that allow development teams to address the growing requirements for today’s wide variety of modern applications, all in a unified and consistent user experience.

MongoDB Atlas is more than a general-purpose database, it’s a full developer data platform – easily deploy and manage databases on-demand when and where you need them. 

Below are some ways you could use MongoDB Atlas in your next hackathon project.

1) Simplify the way you integrate database functionality into your hackathon project by starting a free cluster or using your introductory $50 Atlas credits for students. 

2) Take your hackathon project to the next level, and deploy a database to the cloud in minutes. Signing up is easy and hassle-free with no credit card required! 

Key Benefits for Students
MongoDB is one of the most prevalent database providers in the world, and we’ve got a range of opportunities to help you get started building on their platform. 

1) Receive $50 of free MongoDB Atlas credits through the GitHub Student Developer Pack, along with a MongoDB certification ($150 in value). The Forever Free Tier is available if you are no longer a student. 

2) Enter the “Best Use of MongoDB Atlas” challenge at an upcoming MLH event for a chance to win a M5GO iOT Starter Kit. To participate in the challenge, check out our website and register for an upcoming event! 

Interested in taking advantage of your MongoDB Atlas perks? Check out their website here. 

MongoDB also has developed "MongoDB University" a series of courses and ressources to support the learning and application of those learnings! I have taken some of the modules and can confirm the videos and tutorials go in depth and with the interactive nature of their tutorials, you will be engaged with the content. 

Finally, MongoDB has [User Groups ](https://www.mongodb.com/community/forums/c/user-groups/11)
which bring people together to learn from and connect over their shared interest in MongoDB technologies. These are communities of developers with various skill levels and an interest in learning new technologies and applications including MongoDB and beyond, and are a great opportunity to get involved! Whether you are a beginner or a skilled individiaul, this is a safe space for users and novices to come together, learn from each other, and share what theyre doing with mongodb and other tech. 

I recently became involved as a co-organizer for the [Toronto User Group] (https://www.meetup.com/toronto-mongodb-usergroup/) and confirm the community is welcoming for people with diverse experiences and has enabled me to meet and learn from people around the company and community. 

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/fxh7b8ye337xc6exh4at.png)


These are just starting points - there are many options for ways to get involved with MongoDB beyond this!  

You could build an application or library you've built using MongoDB, contribute to open source related to MongoDB, 
talk at a local MongoDB event, create a video or tutorial sharing what you've learned or created about MongoDB, 
get involved and provide support through Stack Overflow, the MongoDB Community Forum or elsewhere, and more! 

If you had any questions feel free to leave them in the comments!