Opinion: Why MongoDB 8.0 Is a Bad Choice for New Web Apps When starting a new web application in 2024, choosing the right database is one of the most consequential early decisions. MongoDB has long been a popular NoSQL option, but its latest 8.0 release doubles down on missteps that make it a poor fit for modern greenfield projects. Below, we break down the key reasons to skip MongoDB 8.0 for new web apps. 1. Unnecessary Operational Complexity MongoDB 8.0 introduces several new features that add bloat without solving core pain points for small to mid-sized web apps. The new sharding automation tools, for example, require deep expertise to configure correctly, and default settings often lead to performance bottlenecks under moderate load. For teams without dedicated DevOps staff, managing a MongoDB 8.0 cluster adds hours of weekly overhead compared to managed relational databases like PlanetScale or Supabase.…