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JSON compatibility
You can use the popular JSON-oriented query language created by MongoDB to interact with data stored in HCL Informix®.
HCL Informix® JSON compatibility
The Informix® JSON Compatibility Guide describes how applications that use the popular JSON-oriented query language created by MongoDB can interact with data stored in HCL Informix.
About the Informix® JSON compatibility
You can combine relational and JSON data into a single query by using the Informix® JSON compatibility features.
MongoDB to Informix® term mapping
The commonly used MongoDB terminology and concepts are mapped to the equivalent Informix® terminology and concepts.

JSON compatibility
You can use the popular JSON-oriented query language created by MongoDB to interact with data stored in HCL Informix®.
- HCL Informix® JSON compatibility
  The Informix® JSON Compatibility Guide describes how applications that use the popular JSON-oriented query language created by MongoDB can interact with data stored in HCL Informix.
  - About the Informix® JSON compatibility
    You can combine relational and JSON data into a single query by using the Informix® JSON compatibility features.
    - Getting started with Informix® JSON
      You can begin using the Informix® JSON features after installing Informix.
    - Requirements for JSON compatibility
      Informix® JSON compatibility has specific software dependencies and database server requirements.
    - MongoDB to Informix® term mapping
      The commonly used MongoDB terminology and concepts are mapped to the equivalent Informix® terminology and concepts.
    - Support for dots in field names
      Unlike MongoDB, which does not allow dots, ( . ), in JSON or BSON field names, HCL Informix® conforms to the JSON standard and allows dots. For example: {"user.fn" : "Jake"}. However, you cannot run a query or an operation directly on a field that has a dot in its name. In queries, a dot in between field names indicates a hierarchy.
    - Manipulate BSON data with SQL statements
      As an alternative to using the MongoDB API, you can use Informix® SQL to manipulate BSON data. However, if you plan to query JSON and BSON data through the wire listener, you must create your database objects, such as collections and indexes, through the wire listener. You can use SQL statements to query JSON and BSON data whether you created your database objects through the wire listener or with SQL statements.
  - Wire listener
    The wire listener is a mid-tier gateway server that enables communication between MongoDB, REST API, and MQTT clients and the Informix® database server.
  - JSON data sharding
    You can shard data with HCL Informix®. Documents from a collection or rows from a table can be sharded across a cluster of database servers, reducing the number of documents or rows and the size of the index for the database of each server. When you shard data across database servers, you also distribute performance across hardware. As your database grows in size, you can scale up by adding more shard servers to your shard cluster.
  - MongoDB API and commands
    The Informix® support for MongoDB application programming interfaces and commands are described here.
  - REST API
    The REST API provides a method for accessing JSON collections in Informix® and provides driverless access to your data.
  - MQTT protocol
    The MQTT protocol provides a method for loading JSON data in Informix®.
  - Manage time series through the wire listener
    You can create and manage time series through the wire listener. You interact with time series data through a virtual table.
  - Troubleshooting Informix® JSON compatibility
    Several troubleshooting techniques, tools, and resources are available for resolving problems that you encounter with Informix® JSON compatibility.

MongoDB to Informix® term mapping

The commonly used MongoDB terminology and concepts are mapped to the equivalent Informix® terminology and concepts.

The following table provides a summary of commonly used MongoDB terms and their Informix® conceptual equivalents.

Table 1. MongoDB concepts mapped to one or more Informix® concepts.
MongoDB concept	Informix® concept	Description
collection	table	This is the same concept. In Informix® this type of collection is sometimes referred to as a JSON collection. A JSON collection is similar to a relational database table, except it does not enforce a schema.
document	record	This is the same concept. In Informix®, this type of document is sometimes referred to as a JSON document.
field	column	This is the same concept.
master / slave	primary server / secondary server	This is the same concept. However, Informix® secondary servers have additional capabilities. For example, data on a secondary server can be updated and propagated to primary servers.
replica set	high-availability cluster	This is the same concept. However, when the replica set is updated, it is then sent to all servers, not only to the primary server.
sharded cluster	shard cluster	This is the same concept. In Informix®, a shard cluster is a group of servers (sometimes called shard servers) that contain sharded data.
shard key	shard key	This is the same concept.