Node.js MongoDB CRUD Operations

What is MongoDB CRUD Operations in Node.js?

Mongoose exposes create, read, update and delete through model methods. Every one returns a thenable query, so they work naturally with async/await.

MongoDB CRUD Operations example

// CREATE
const job = await Job.create({ title: 'Frontend Intern', company: 'Zoho' });

// READ
const all      = await Job.find({ status: 'active' }).limit(20).lean();
const one      = await Job.findById(id);
const byFilter = await Job.findOne({ company: 'Zoho' });
const count    = await Job.countDocuments({ city: 'Pune' });

// UPDATE — new: true returns the updated document
const updated = await Job.findByIdAndUpdate(id, { stipend: 20000 }, {
  new: true,
  runValidators: true,
});

// DELETE
await Job.findByIdAndDelete(id);
await Job.deleteMany({ status: 'closed' });

Key points to remember

• Without new: true, findByIdAndUpdate returns the document as it was before.
• runValidators: true is required — update operations skip schema validation by default.
• select() limits returned fields and reduces network transfer.
• An invalid ObjectId string throws a CastError — validate it before querying.

Common mistakes with MongoDB CRUD Operations

• Assuming findByIdAndUpdate validates — it does not unless you ask.
• Passing an unvalidated id and getting an unhandled CastError.
• Using find() without a limit on a large collection.