MongoDB Find Queries

Master the find() method for powerful data retrieval.

Quick Start

Basic Query

// Find one document
const user = await collection.findOne({ email: 'user@example.com' })

// Find multiple documents
const users = await collection.find({ status: 'active' }).toArray()

// Find with multiple conditions
const products = await collection.find({
  price: { $gt: 100 },
  category: 'electronics'
}).toArray()

Query Operators Reference

Comparison Operators:

{ field: { $eq: value } }      // Equal
{ field: { $ne: value } }      // Not equal
{ field: { $gt: value } }      // Greater than
{ field: { $gte: value } }     // Greater or equal
{ field: { $lt: value } }      // Less than
{ field: { $lte: value } }     // Less or equal
{ field: { $in: [val1, val2] } } // In array
{ field: { $nin: [val1, val2] } } // Not in array

Logical Operators:

{ $and: [{field1: val1}, {field2: val2}] }  // AND
{ $or: [{field1: val1}, {field2: val2}] }   // OR
{ $not: {field: {$gt: 5}} }                // NOT
{ $nor: [{field1: val1}, {field2: val2}] }  // NOR

Array Operators:

{ field: { $all: [val1, val2] } }    // All values in array
{ field: { $elemMatch: {...} } }     // Match array elements
{ field: { $size: 5 } }              // Array size exactly 5

Projection (Select Fields)

// Include fields
db.users.findOne({...}, { projection: { name: 1, email: 1 } })
// Returns: { _id, name, email }

// Exclude fields
db.users.findOne({...}, { projection: { password: 0 } })
// Returns: all fields except password

// Hide _id
db.users.findOne({...}, { projection: { _id: 0, name: 1 } })

// Computed fields
db.users.findOne({...}, {
  projection: {
    firstName: 1,
    lastName: 1,
    fullName: { $concat: ['$firstName', ' ', '$lastName'] }
  }
})

Sorting

// Sort ascending (1) or descending (-1)
db.products.find({}).sort({ price: 1 }).toArray()      // Price ascending
db.products.find({}).sort({ createdAt: -1 }).toArray() // Newest first

// Multi-field sort
db.orders.find({}).sort({
  status: 1,        // Active first
  createdAt: -1     // Then newest
}).toArray()

// Case-insensitive sort
db.users.find({}).collation({ locale: 'en', strength: 2 }).sort({ name: 1 })

Pagination

// Method 1: Skip and Limit
const pageSize = 10
const pageNumber = 2
const skip = (pageNumber - 1) * pageSize

const results = await collection
  .find({})
  .skip(skip)
  .limit(pageSize)
  .toArray()

// Method 2: Cursor-based (better for large datasets)
const lastId = objectIdOfLastDocument
const results = await collection
  .find({ _id: { $gt: lastId } })
  .limit(pageSize)
  .toArray()

Text Search

// Create text index first
db.articles.createIndex({ title: 'text', content: 'text' })

// Search
db.articles.find(
  { $text: { $search: 'mongodb database' } },
  { score: { $meta: 'textScore' } }
).sort({ score: { $meta: 'textScore' } }).toArray()

// Phrase search
db.articles.find({ $text: { $search: '"mongodb database"' } })

// Exclude terms
db.articles.find({ $text: { $search: 'mongodb -relational' } })

Regex Queries

// Case-sensitive regex
db.users.find({ email: { $regex: /^admin/, $options: '' } })

// Case-insensitive
db.users.find({ email: { $regex: /gmail/, $options: 'i' } })

// Multiline
db.posts.find({ content: { $regex: /^mongodb/m } })

// String pattern
db.users.find({ email: { $regex: '^[a-z]+@gmail', $options: 'i' } })

Advanced Query Patterns

Nested Document Queries

// Query nested field
db.users.find({ 'address.city': 'New York' })

// Match entire nested document
db.users.find({ address: { street: '123 Main', city: 'NY' } })

// Nested array
db.orders.find({ 'items.productId': ObjectId(...) })

Date Queries

// Date range
db.orders.find({
  createdAt: {
    $gte: new Date('2024-01-01'),
    $lt: new Date('2024-12-31')
  }
})

// This week
const now = new Date()
const weekAgo = new Date(now.getTime() - 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)
db.posts.find({ publishedAt: { $gte: weekAgo } })

Null Handling

// Find null values
db.users.find({ phone: null })

// Find missing field
db.users.find({ phone: { $exists: false } })

// Find non-null
db.users.find({ phone: { $ne: null } })

// Not missing
db.users.find({ phone: { $exists: true } })

Performance Tips

✅ Query Optimization:

1. Use indexes on frequently filtered fields
2. Filter early - $match before other stages
3. Project fields - Don't fetch unnecessary data
4. Limit results - Use pagination
5. Use explain() - Analyze every query

✅ Common Mistakes:

1. ❌ find({}) without limit - Returns all documents
2. ❌ No index on filtered fields - Full collection scans
3. ❌ Fetching fields you don't need - Wastes bandwidth
4. ❌ Sorting without index - Memory-intensive
5. ❌ Complex regex patterns - Slow performance

Real-World Examples

User Search with Pagination

async function searchUsers(searchTerm, page = 1) {
  const pageSize = 20
  const skip = (page - 1) * pageSize

  const users = await db.users
    .find({
      $or: [
        { name: { $regex: searchTerm, $options: 'i' } },
        { email: { $regex: searchTerm, $options: 'i' } }
      ]
    })
    .project({ password: 0 })  // Don't return passwords
    .sort({ name: 1 })
    .skip(skip)
    .limit(pageSize)
    .toArray()

  const total = await db.users.countDocuments({
    $or: [
      { name: { $regex: searchTerm, $options: 'i' } },
      { email: { $regex: searchTerm, $options: 'i' } }
    ]
  })

  return {
    data: users,
    total,
    pages: Math.ceil(total / pageSize),
    currentPage: page
  }
}

Advanced Filtering

async function filterProducts(filters) {
  const query = {}

  if (filters.minPrice) query.price = { $gte: filters.minPrice }
  if (filters.maxPrice) query.price = { ...query.price, $lte: filters.maxPrice }
  if (filters.category) query.category = filters.category
  if (filters.inStock) query.stock = { $gt: 0 }
  if (filters.rating) query.rating = { $gte: filters.rating }

  return await db.products
    .find(query)
    .sort({ [filters.sortBy]: filters.sortOrder })
    .limit(filters.limit || 50)
    .toArray()
}

Next Steps

1. Create Sample Queries - Find + filters
2. Add Projections - Select needed fields
3. Implement Sorting - Order results
4. Add Pagination - Handle large datasets
5. Monitor Performance - Use explain()

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You're now a MongoDB query expert! 🎯