What is MongoDB Atlas?

The MongoDB Atlas provides an easy way to host and manage your data in the database cloud. I am going to explain you how you can create an Atlas cluster, connecting, and loading sample data.

You can get started with Atlas through the Atlas CLI or Atlas UI.

Atlas CLI

You can create one free database, load sample data, add IP address to project IP list, create a MongoDB database user, and view your connection string using CLI, run the following command:

atlas setup [options]

You can learn more about command syntax from here.
atlas setup. For step-by-step instructions you can also follow Get Started with Atlas from the Atlas CLI.

However, you can also run atlas setup if you already have an Atlas account, but you haven't set up a cluster.

Next comes to UI.

Atlas UI

In order to start with Atlas UI, follow the below steps:

1. Register for an Atlas Account by using your email id.
2. You can deploy free shared cluster i.e M0 with some limitations on resources. The shared free cluster never expires and provides access to few Atlas features.
3. Next you have to make sure to add your IP in to the Network IP access list.
4. Create a database user, it is for the security purpose as Atlas requires client to authenticate.
5. Now you are ready, you can use mongosh, compass, programming driver in order to connect to your application.
6. Perform the CURD operation either by adding/updating the document manually or by programming language. Or else you can also provides the sample data through Atlas UI as Atlas provides small amount to free sample data to perform the operations.