MongoDB is a NoSQL database that Spoo.me uses to store URLs, analytics data, and user information. You can either set up a MongoDB server on your own infrastructure or use a cloud service like MongoDB Atlas.

We strongly recommend using MongoDB Atlas as it offers a generous free tier, automatic backups, and professional management without the complexity of self-hosting.

MongoDB Atlas provides a free M0 tier that’s perfect for most Spoo.me deployments and can handle thousands of URLs without any cost.

1

Create MongoDB Atlas Account

Navigate to MongoDB Atlas and sign up for a free account.

Verify your email address when prompted to activate your account.

2

Create a New Cluster

After logging in, you’ll see the Atlas dashboard.

  1. Click on “Build a Database” or “Create” button
  2. Choose the “M0 Sandbox” option (this is the free tier)
  3. Select your preferred cloud provider (AWS is recommended)
  4. Choose a region closest to your target audience for better performance
  5. Give your cluster a memorable name (e.g., “spoo-me-cluster”)
  6. Click “Create Deployment”

The cluster creation process typically takes 3-5 minutes to complete.

3

Create Database User

Once your cluster is ready, you’ll see a “Connect to Cluster” dialog.

  1. In the “Username” field, enter a username (e.g., “spoo-admin”)
  2. Click “Autogenerate Secure Password” or create your own strong password
  3. Important: Copy and save the password immediately - you won’t see it again
  4. Click “Create Database User”

Store your username and password securely. You’ll need these credentials for your connection string.

4

Configure Network Access

Set up IP address access for your deployment.

  1. Click “Choose a connection method”
  2. Select “Drivers”
  3. In the IP Access List, click “Add a Different IP Address”
  4. Click “Allow access from anywhere” (adds 0.0.0.0/0)
  5. Click “Confirm”

While “Allow access from anywhere” is convenient for development, consider restricting IP access to your server’s IP address in production for better security.

5

Get Connection String

Now you’ll get your MongoDB connection string.

  1. Choose “Node.js” as your driver
  2. Copy the connection string - it should look like this:
mongodb+srv://<username>:<password>@cluster0.xxxxx.mongodb.net/?retryWrites=true&w=majority&appName=Cluster0
  1. Replace <username> with your database username
  2. Replace <password> with your database password
  3. Save this complete connection string securely

Your final connection string should look like: mongodb+srv://spoo-admin:[email protected]/?retryWrites=true&w=majority&appName=Cluster0

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Connection String Security

Your MongoDB connection string contains sensitive credentials and should be treated as a secret.

Never commit your connection string to version control or share it publicly. Always use environment variables to store database credentials.

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Environment Variable Usage

When deploying your Spoo.me instance, you’ll use your connection string as the MONGODB_URI environment variable:

MONGODB_URI=mongodb+srv://username:[email protected]/?retryWrites=true&w=majority&appName=Cluster0

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Alternative: Self-Hosted MongoDB

If you prefer to host MongoDB on your own server, you can install MongoDB Community Edition:

# Import MongoDB public GPG key
wget -qO - https://www.mongodb.org/static/pgp/server-7.0.asc | sudo apt-key add -

# Add MongoDB repository
echo "deb [ arch=amd64,arm64 ] https://repo.mongodb.org/apt/ubuntu jammy/mongodb-org/7.0 multiverse" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mongodb-org-7.0.list

# Update package database
sudo apt-get update

# Install MongoDB
sudo apt-get install -y mongodb-org

# Start MongoDB service
sudo systemctl start mongod
sudo systemctl enable mongod

Your connection string would be:

mongodb://localhost:27017

Self-hosted MongoDB requires additional configuration for security, backups, and monitoring. MongoDB Atlas handles these concerns automatically.

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Verification

To verify your MongoDB setup is working correctly:

  1. For MongoDB Atlas: Use the “Connect” button in your cluster dashboard and test the connection
  2. For self-hosted: Run mongosh command to connect to your local instance

Once you have your MONGODB_URI connection string ready, you can proceed to the next step of setting up webhooks or choosing your deployment method.

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Troubleshooting

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Next Steps

With MongoDB configured, you can now:

Create Webhooks

Set up Discord webhooks for contact forms and URL reporting

Choose Deployment Method

Select your preferred deployment approach