Database Creation

Introduction

Creating a database in MongoDB requires zero ceremony. Switch to a non-existing database name with use and the database materializes the moment you insert your first document. No CREATE DATABASE statement, no DDL.

Understanding the topic

Lifecycle of a database:

• use shop — selects (or creates) the database.
• Database is lazy — actually allocated on first write.
• show dbs lists databases that have at least one document.
• db.dropDatabase() deletes the current database permanently.
• Databases are cheap — many SaaS apps use one DB per tenant.

Syntax reference

// Create / switch
use shop;

// Insert (DB and collection materialize now)
db.products.insertOne({ name: "Mug", price: 9.99 });

// List
show dbs;

// Drop
db.dropDatabase();

Real-world use

Multi-tenant SaaS often uses one database per customer (tenant_acme, tenant_globex). This gives strong isolation and per-tenant backups for free.

Best practices

• Don't create a database 'just in case' — it stays invisible until you insert.
• Use lowercase, no spaces, no $ in DB names.
• Document per-tenant or shared-tenant DB choices in your README.