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DocumentDB

documentdb.io

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Spec score 8.6 #5 of 28 in Document Databases

What it is

DocumentDB is an MIT-licensed, open-source document database built on PostgreSQL for MongoDB compatibility. It stores native BSON documents, supports document CRUD and PostgreSQL SQL operations, and offers single-field, multi-key, compound, text and geospatial indexes, including nested fields. Pgvector powers vector search for embeddings and similarity search. MongoDB-compatible clients and tools include mongosh, PyMongo, the official MongoDB Node.js driver and a VS Code extension. The extension can create a local database, generate credentials and save a connection. DocumentDB runs locally in Docker or on a user’s infrastructure or cloud. Its gateway supports SCRAM-SHA-256 authentication, with TLS terminating at default port 10260. Hosted packages currently cover Ubuntu 24.04 and EL9 with PostgreSQL 17 or 18 for amd64 and arm64. A Kubernetes operator for failover, replication, backups and TLS is in preview and requires Kubernetes 1.35+ and cert-manager.

Spec sheet

Product
DocumentDB is an open-source, MongoDB-compatible document database built on PostgreSQL.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Security
The project lists SCRAM authentication; its gateway documentation says TLS terminates on the gateway port, whose default is 10260.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Support
The getting-started documentation lists Discord for community syncs, office hours, technical support, migration assistance, and best-practice sharing.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
License
The project is MIT licensed.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
AI workloads
The AI page describes storing BSON documents and embeddings together and filtering vector search by metadata.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Authentication
The gateway supports SCRAM-SHA-256 authentication.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Client integrations
The gateway supports MongoDB-compatible drivers and tools including mongosh, PyMongo, the MongoDB Node.js driver, and the VS Code extension.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
CRUD and SQL
It supports document CRUD and PostgreSQL compatibility for advanced SQL operations.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Drivers and tools
DocumentDB supports MongoDB-compatible clients and tools, including mongosh, PyMongo, the official MongoDB Node.js driver, and the VS Code extension.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Indexes
Its listed index types include single-field, multi-key, compound, text, and geospatial indexes, including nested fields.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Indexing
Its indexing features include single-field, multi-key, compound, text, and geospatial indexes, including nested fields.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Kubernetes
A Kubernetes operator offers lifecycle management and features including failover, replication, backups, and TLS, and is marked as a preview.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Kubernetes operator
The Kubernetes operator is in preview and lists Kubernetes 1.35+ and cert-manager as requirements.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
License and portability
DocumentDB is MIT licensed and described as running locally with Docker or on a user's own infrastructure or cloud.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Linux package support
The current hosted package matrix lists Ubuntu 24.04 and EL9 with PostgreSQL 17 or 18, and says packages for Ubuntu 22.04, Debian 11/12/13, EL8, and PostgreSQL 16 are no longer published.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Linux packages
The current hosted package matrix supports Ubuntu 24.04 and EL9 with PostgreSQL 17 or 18, for amd64 and arm64.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Local setup
DocumentDB can run locally in Docker, with a local endpoint on port 10260.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Platform limitation
The current hosted packages are not available for Ubuntu 22.04, Debian 11/12/13, EL8, or PostgreSQL 16.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Storage
DocumentDB supports native BSON document data and PostgreSQL SQL operations.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
Vector search
Vector search for embeddings and similarity search is powered by pgvector.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io
VS Code
The VS Code extension can create a local database, generate credentials, and save a connection.Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io

Plans and prices

DocumentDB Free MIT licensed open-source database; run locally with Docker or install Linux packages Read 9 Oct 2026 · documentdb.io

Every DocumentDB plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • MIT-licensed open-source project
  • MongoDB-compatible drivers and tools
  • PostgreSQL SQL and BSON document support
  • Vector search through pgvector
  • Runs locally with Docker

Limits

  • Hosted packages exclude several older distributions
  • Kubernetes operator is preview software
  • Operator requires Kubernetes 1.35+ and cert-manager

Who it suits

It suits developers wanting MongoDB-compatible document access alongside PostgreSQL features, whether running locally, self-hosted or in cloud infrastructure. Teams should check the hosted package matrix and preview operator requirements.

Verdict

DocumentDB combines MongoDB-style document workflows with PostgreSQL operations, indexing and vector search. Its broad portability is balanced by specific hosted-package exclusions and a Kubernetes operator that remains in preview.

Where Specifiction places it

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