MongoDB is a document-oriented database that's highly scalable and delivers very high-performance, especially with massive data sets that need to be spread across multiple servers. It blends the things you expect with any database like indexing, querying, and high availability with powerful new features like easy horizontal scaling ("auto-sharding"), map/reduce aggregation, and a flexible document data model to support dynamic schemas. MongoDB In Action is a comprehensive guide to MongoDB for application developers. The book begins by explaining what makes MongoDB unique and describing its ideal use cases. A series of tutorials designed for MongoDB mastery then leads into detailed examples for leveraging MongoDB in e-commerce, social networking, analytics, and other common applications. Along the way, all of MongoDB's major features are covered, including: * Indexes and explain plans for efficient queries * Atomic operations for managing simple data structures and manipulating complex, rich documents * GridFS for storing and managing large binary objects (images, videos, etc.) in MongoDB * Map-reduce for custom aggregations and reporting * Master-slave replication and replica sets for automated failover * Auto-sharding for automated horizontal scaling The handy reference section on schema design patterns will help ease the transition from the relational data model of SQL to MongoDB's document-based data model. The numerous, detailed examples are implemented in Ruby and include comprehensive explanations. MongoDB has been gaining traction in the developer community for its speed, flexibility, scalability, and ease of use. With production deployments that include SourceForge, Foursquare, and Shutterfly, MongoDB is proving to be a robust and reliable database system that keeps developers happy. Covering everything from installation to application design to deployment, MongoDB In Action is written for the application developer who wants to take advantage of MongoDB and get up and running quickly.