# How to Fork a MongoDB Database Cluster

MongoDB is a source-available cross-platform document-oriented database program for high-volume storage. Classified as a NoSQL database program, MongoDB uses JSON-like documents with optional schemas.

Forking a database cluster creates a new cluster from an existing cluster based on a specific point in time. Forking is a cluster-level action that replicates all databases, users, and other settings from the original cluster.

You can create a fork to preserve a cluster’s working state past the 7-day limit that DigitalOcean’s [database restoration feature](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/databases/mongodb/how-to/restore-from-backups/index.html.md) provides. Alternatively, you can [create a dump](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/databases/mongodb/how-to/import-collections/index.html.md#export-with-mongodump). However, using a fork gives you the flexibility to alter the configuration of the forked cluster. Forking a cluster is also a low-risk way of using your production data to test applications, move it between datacenter regions, or archive it for later analysis.

## Fork a Database Using the API

Creating a database from a backup is the same as forking a database in the control panel. To create a new database cluster based on a backup of an existing cluster, send a POST request to `/v2/databases`. In addition to the standard database cluster attributes, the JSON body must include a key named `backup_restore` with the name of the original database cluster and the timestamp of the backup to be restored.

## How to Fork a Database Cluster Using the DigitalOcean API

1. [Create a personal access token](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/create-personal-access-token/index.html.md) and save it for use with the API.
2. Send a POST request to [`https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/databases`](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/digitalocean//index.html.md#operation/databases_create_cluster).

### cURL

Using cURL:

```shell
curl -X POST \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN" \
  -d '{"name": "backend", "engine": "pg", "version": "14", "region": "nyc3", "size": "db-s-2vcpu-4gb", "num_nodes": 2, "storage_size_mib": 61440, "tags": ["production"], "do_settings": {"service_cnames": ["db.example.com", "database.myapp.io"]}}' \
  "https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/databases"
```

### Go

Using [Godo](https://github.com/digitalocean/godo), the official DigitalOcean API client for Go:

```go
import (
    "context"
    "os"

    "github.com/digitalocean/godo"
)

func main() {
    token := os.Getenv("DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN")

    client := godo.NewFromToken(token)
    ctx := context.TODO()

    createRequest := &godo.DatabaseCreateRequest{
        Name:       "backend",
        EngineSlug: "pg",
        Version:    "14",
        Region:     "nyc3",
        SizeSlug:   "db-s-2vcpu-4gb",
        NumNodes:   2,
        StorageSizeMiB : 61440,
        DOSettings: &godo.DOSettings{
            ServiceCnames: []string{"db.example.com", "database.myapp.io"},
        },
    }

    cluster, _, err := client.Databases.Create(ctx, createRequest)
}
```

### Python

Using [PyDo](https://github.com/digitalocean/pydo), the official DigitalOcean API client for Python:

```python
import os
from pydo import Client

client = Client(token=os.environ.get("DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN"))

create_req = {
  "name": "backend",
  "engine": "pg",
  "version": "14",
  "region": "nyc3",
  "size": "db-s-2vcpu-4gb",
  "num_nodes": 2,
  "storage_size_mib": 61440,
  "tags": [
    "production"
  ],
  "do_settings": {
    "service_cnames": [
      "db.example.com",
      "database.myapp.io"
    ]
  }
}

create_resp = client.databases.create_cluster(body=create_req)
```

## Fork a Database Cluster Using the Control Panel

To fork a database cluster, find the cluster on the [**Databases** page](https://cloud.digitalocean.com/databases) and open its **More** menu.

![Screenshot of Cluster More menu](https://docs.digitalocean.com/screenshots/databases/mysql-cluster-more-menu.4f550feebdc01a093d86960b19dd815090313e3aa12b41dd8fac192be61f1008.png)

In the **More** menu, click **Fork database cluster** to go to the **Fork database cluster** page. If you don’t see that option, make sure you opened the **More** menu of the cluster’s primary node and not a read-only node.

The **Fork database cluster** page has two sections: choose a state and choose a cluster configuration.

![Screenshot of restore point in time menu](https://docs.digitalocean.com/screenshots/databases/restore-point-in-time.509b932a71d954edf044f8ae636cc5900cea9d6f8d9fb9093b4801da0cac8da1.png)

## Choose a State

You can choose from two states:

- **Latest Transaction:** This state creates a copy of your database as of the time you loaded the **Fork database cluster** page. It won’t include transactions which occurred after you loaded the page, so you may want to refresh to capture the most recent transactions in the fork.
- **Point in Time:** This state creates a copy of your database as of a specific point in time within the last 7 days.

## Choose a Cluster Configuration

You can customize the forked cluster’s configuration with the following options:

- **Configuration plan**: Choose a plan. You can choose any plan, regardless of the original cluster configuration.
- **Storage size**: Choose a storage size. You can choose any storage size, regardless of the original cluster configuration.
- **Standby nodes**: Select the number of standby nodes. You can choose any number, regardless of the original cluster configuration.
- **Choose a datacenter**: You can select the same datacenter or a different datacenter for the fork.

The monthly cost and hourly prorate for the new cluster are displayed here. Billing stops when you destroy the cluster.

## Finalize and Create

Choose a name for the forked cluster, between 3 and 63 characters. The name must be lowercase and may not contain spaces. All the databases and users will be copied to the fork, including the required `defaultdb` database and `doadmin` user.

When all required fields are complete, click the **Fork Database Cluster** button to initiate the fork. A fork will take longer to provision than a new cluster as the nodes are created and the data is transferred.