Get started with the MongoDB Entity Framework Core integrations

MongoDB is a popular, open-source NoSQL document database that offers high performance, scalability, and flexible data modeling. The Aspire MongoDB Entity Framework Core (EF Core) integration lets you model a MongoDB server and its databases as first-class resources in your AppHost, then hand the connection information to your C# consuming apps.

Why use MongoDB EF Core with Aspire

Adding MongoDB through Aspire — rather than wiring up containers and connection strings by hand — gives you:

• Zero-config local development. Aspire runs MongoDB from the docker.io/library/mongo container image with credentials generated automatically for you.
• Automatic connection configuration. When a consuming C# project references the MongoDB database resource, Aspire injects connection details automatically so your app finds them through dependency injection.
• Built-in health checks. The hosting integration automatically registers a health check so the dashboard and your orchestrator can tell when the server is ready.
• Dashboard observability. The database resource shows up in the Aspire dashboard with logs, status, and telemetry alongside your other services.
• A first-class C# client integration. C# apps use the Aspire.MongoDB.EntityFrameworkCore package to register a DbContext through dependency injection, with health checks, logging, tracing, and metrics all wired up automatically.

How the pieces fit together

The MongoDB EF Core integration has two sides: a hosting integration that you use in your AppHost to model the database resource, and a client integration for C# consuming apps that reference it.

architecture-beta

  group apphost(server)[AppHost]
  group consumer(server)[Consuming app]

  service hosting(server)[Hosting integration] in apphost
  service mongodb(logos:mongodb)[MongoDB server] in apphost
  service db(database)[mydb] in apphost

  service client(iconoir:server-connection)[EF Core client integration] in consumer
  service app(server)[App] in consumer

  hosting:R --> L:mongodb
  mongodb:R --> L:db
  db:R --> L:client
  client:R --> L:app

The hosting integration lives in your AppHost project and models the MongoDB server and databases as resources. The EF Core client integration lives in each consuming C# project and uses the connection information Aspire injects to register a DbContext.

Getting there is a two-step process: model the MongoDB resources in your AppHost, then connect to the database from each C# app that needs it.

1. Model MongoDB in your AppHost

   Add the MongoDB hosting integration to your AppHost, then declare a MongoDB server, one or more databases, and reference them from the apps that need to talk to the database. The MongoDB Hosting integration article walks through every capability — adding databases, data volumes, MongoDB Express, init scripts, and more.

   Set up MongoDB in the AppHost

2. Connect from your C# app

   When you reference a MongoDB database from a consuming C# project, install the Aspire.MongoDB.EntityFrameworkCore package and register your DbContext subclass. See MongoDB EF Core client integration for the full configuration reference — including AddMongoDbContext, EnrichMongoDbContext, health checks, and observability.

   Connect to MongoDB with EF Core