Overview
Welcome to the documentation site for the official MongoDB PHP Library. The PHP library provides a high-level abstraction around the lower-level mongodb extension.
The mongodb extension provides a limited API to connect to a MongoDB
database and execute generic commands, queries, and write operations. In
contrast, the PHP library provides a full-featured API and models client,
database, and collection objects. If you are developing a PHP application with
MongoDB, consider using the PHP library instead of the extension alone.
Driver Architecture
This section describes how the components of the PHP driver work together. These components fit into the following general categories:
High-Level API, which includes the library and other integrations
Extension, which includes the extension that integrates the system libraries
System, which includes the C Driver, BSON library, and encryption library
The following diagram illustrates the architecture of the PHP driver components:
The PHP library provides an API that is consistent with the other MongoDB drivers. The library is continually updated to meet cross-driver specifications. You must add the library as a dependency to access MongoDB in most PHP applications.
The extension is distributed by using PECL, and connects PHP to the system libraries. The extension's public API provides the following functionality:
Connection management
BSON encoding and decoding
Object document serialization
Command execution
Cursor management
To learn more about the system libraries, see the C Driver documentation.
Get Started
Learn how to install the library and extension, establish a connection to MongoDB, and begin working with data in the Get Started with the MongoDB PHP Library tutorial.
Connect to MongoDB
Learn how to create and configure a connection to a MongoDB deployment in the Connect to MongoDB section.
Databases and Collections
Learn how to use the PHP library to work with MongoDB databases and collections in the Databases and Collections section.
Read and Write Data
Learn how to find, update, and delete data in the CRUD Operations section.
Transform Your Data with Aggregation
Learn how to use the PHP library to perform aggregation operations in the Aggregation Operations section.
Data Formats
Learn how to work with specialized data formats and custom types in the Data Formats section.
Optimize Queries with Indexes
Learn how to work with common types of indexes in the Indexes for Query Optimization section.
Run a Database Command
Learn how to run a database command in the Run a Database Command section.
Atlas Search
Learn how to run Atlas Search queries in the Run an Atlas Search Query section.
Atlas Vector Search
Learn how to run Atlas Vector Search queries in the Run an Atlas Vector Search Query section.
Monitoring and Logging
Learn how to monitor changes to your application and write them to logs in the Logging and Monitoring section.
Secure Your Data
Learn about ways you can authenticate your application and encrypt your data in the Secure Your Data section.
Reference
Learn more about PHP library versions, compatibility, and upgrade considerations in the Reference section.
Issues & Help
Learn how to report bugs, contribute to the library, and find help in the Issues & Help section.