Configure MongoDB for Local Development

The API server requires a MongoDB database to store all its data, including headlines, users, and settings. For local development, running a MongoDB instance directly on your machine using Docker is the recommended approach as it provides a clean, isolated, and consistent environment.

Using Docker (Recommended)

1. Install Docker: If you don't have it already, download and install Docker Desktop for your operating system. This application will manage your Docker images and containers.

2. Pull and Run the MongoDB Image: Open your terminal and run the following command. This single command will automatically:

   • Download the latest official mongo image from Docker Hub if you don't have it locally.
   • Create and start a new container from that image.

   docker run --name mongodb-local -p 27017:27017 -d mongo:latest

   Command Breakdown:

   • --name mongodb-local: Assigns a memorable name to your container for easy management.
   • -p 27017:27017: Maps port 27017 inside the container to port 27017 on your local machine, allowing the API server to connect.
   • -d: Runs the container in "detached" mode, meaning it runs in the background.
   • mongo:latest: Specifies the official MongoDB image to use.

3. Verify the Container is Running: You can check that your container started successfully by running:

   docker ps

   You should see mongodb-local in the list of running containers.

Updating Your .env File

Once your local MongoDB instance is running, you need to tell the API server how to connect to it.

Open your .env file and set the DATABASE_URL variable:

DATABASE_URL="mongodb://localhost:27017/flutter_news_app_db"

• localhost:27017: This is the default host and port for a local MongoDB instance.
• flutter_news_app_db: You can name your database anything you like. The server will create it automatically on first connection if it doesn't exist.

Tip: For a complete overview of all environment variables, see the Configure Environment Variables guide.