mongodump

Mongodump is a command line tool provided by MongoDB for creating backups of MongoDB databases. It is used to export data from a MongoDB instance to a binary dump file format.

Using mongodump, you can take a snapshot of an entire MongoDB database or specific collections within it. It allows for flexible exporting options, providing various parameters to customize the backup process.

Mongodump captures the data and schema for the selected databases or collections, creating BSON files that contain the exported data. The tool also preserves document and index structures, allowing for seamless restoration of backups.

Mongodump can be run on any machine that has access to the MongoDB instance, and it supports both standalone MongoDB instances and replica sets. It is a platform-independent tool and works on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

The tool uses the MongoDB connection string to connect to the database, enabling you to select the MongoDB instance to back up. Additionally, mongodump supports authentication and allows for TLS/SSL encryption during the backup process.

Mongodump provides features like compression to reduce the size of backup files and the ability to dump large databases in parallel for faster exports. It also supports various output formats, including JSON and CSV, making it convenient for further data analysis or migration processes.

Restoring a backup created with mongodump is done using another command-line tool called mongorestore. This tool allows you to import the BSON files generated by mongodump back into a MongoDB instance.

In summary, mongodump is a versatile, reliable, and efficient command-line tool for creating backups of MongoDB databases, offering flexibility, data integrity, and security during the backup and restoration processes.