How can I connect to mongodb using express without mongoose? - node.js

Question

I am using the express framework and would like to connect to a mongodb without using mongoose, but with the native nodejs Mongodb driver. How can I do this without creating a new connection every time?
To handle get or post requests I currently open a new connection to the db for every request and close it on completion of the request. Is there a better way to do this? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Following the example from my comment, modifying it so that the app handles errors rather than failing to start the server.
var express = require('express');
var mongodb = require('mongodb');
var app = express();
var MongoClient = require('mongodb').MongoClient;
var dbURL = "mongodb://localhost:27017/integration_test";
var db;
// Initialize connection once
MongoClient.connect(dbURL, function(err, database) {
if(err) return console.error(err);
db = database;
// the Mongo driver recommends starting the server here
// because most apps *should* fail to start if they have no DB.
// If yours is the exception, move the server startup elsewhere.
});
// Reuse database object in request handlers
app.get("/", function(req, res, next) {
var collection = "replicaset_mongo_client_collection";
db.collection(collection).find({}, function(err, docs) {
if(err) return next(err);
docs.each(function(err, doc) {
if(doc) {
console.log(doc);
}
else {
res.end();
}
});
});
});
app.use(function(err, req, res){
// handle error here. For example, logging and
// returning a friendly error page
});
// Starting the app here will work, but some users
// will get errors if the db connection process is slow.
app.listen(3000);
console.log("Listening on port 3000");

Answer 2

var mongodb = require('mongodb');
var uri = 'mongodb://localhost:27017/dbname';
module.exports = function(callback) {
mongodb.MongoClient.connect(uri, callback);
};
Ad this snippet in a file say connect.js and then require this file(connect.js) in your file where you are declaring your functions for http requests.