Find Records Where Array Field is Not Empty in MongoDB

In this tutorial, I will help you find records where array field is not empty in MongoDB.

We will learn different ways to find records where array field is not empty in MongoDB. This guide aims to provide examples to the readers who want to find records where array field is not empty in MongoDB. So, let us get started!

How to Find Records Where Array Field is Not Empty in MongoDB

Let us take a look at some examples of how find records where array field is not empty in MongoDB.

Below is the collection I will be using for this tutorial:

{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0c"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Nimbari Gryphon Medeta 65",
        "price" : 77500,
        "weight" : "77 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "carbon fiber",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Cinematography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0d"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "X-Strimmer Eye",
        "price" : 23500,
        "weight" : "24 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "glass fiber",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Cinematography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0e"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Khai Balemosh Shefqa TRX",
        "price" : 120500,
        "weight" : "80 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "aluminum",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0f"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Sifinist Croma AX",
        "price" : 99500,
        "weight" : "97 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "lithium",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf10"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Drovce Finnifield FR-7",
        "price" : 87600,
        "weight" : "13 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "polysterene",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("6195514a50f8bacf51bdb6ac"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "PlayGarra 2078-56",
        "price" : 15000,
        "weight" : "5 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "polysterene",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("6195514a50f8bacf51bdb6ad"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Frinty Gemini 3X70",
        "price" : 55000,
        "weight" : "22 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "aluminum",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching",
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("6195514a50f8bacf51bdb6ae"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Rilche Gabbana Flier RG950",
        "price" : 110000,
        "weight" : "100 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "lithium",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching",
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("619924ef4b1ff00cfd5eb3ae"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Caminara Frucha FCZ-89",
        "price" : 67800,
        "weight" : "35 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "glass fibre",
                "moreUses" : [ ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("619924ef4b1ff00cfd5eb3af"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Azehsra Chelske AZC-HYU56",
        "price" : 45600,
        "weight" : "32 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "carbon fibre",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching",
                        "Precision Agriculture"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : null
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("619924ef4b1ff00cfd5eb3b0"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Hazela Gunce QY999",
        "price" : 33900,
        "weight" : "20 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "carbon fibre",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Videography",
                        "Wildlife Watching",
                        "Photography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                undefined
        ]
}

Operating on a Top-Level Array Field to Check if Value is Not “null”

In this example, I will operate on a top-level array field to check if the value doesn’t contain “null”.

> db.drones.find({ "utility": { $ne: null } }).pretty()
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0c"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Nimbari Gryphon Medeta 65",
        "price" : 77500,
        "weight" : "77 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "carbon fiber",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Cinematography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0d"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "X-Strimmer Eye",
        "price" : 23500,
        "weight" : "24 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "glass fiber",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Cinematography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0e"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Khai Balemosh Shefqa TRX",
        "price" : 120500,
        "weight" : "80 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "aluminum",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0f"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Sifinist Croma AX",
        "price" : 99500,
        "weight" : "97 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "lithium",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf10"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Drovce Finnifield FR-7",
        "price" : 87600,
        "weight" : "13 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "polysterene",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("6195514a50f8bacf51bdb6ac"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "PlayGarra 2078-56",
        "price" : 15000,
        "weight" : "5 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "polysterene",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("6195514a50f8bacf51bdb6ad"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Frinty Gemini 3X70",
        "price" : 55000,
        "weight" : "22 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "aluminum",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching",
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("6195514a50f8bacf51bdb6ae"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Rilche Gabbana Flier RG950",
        "price" : 110000,
        "weight" : "100 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "lithium",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching",
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("619924ef4b1ff00cfd5eb3ae"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Caminara Frucha FCZ-89",
        "price" : 67800,
        "weight" : "35 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "glass fibre",
                "moreUses" : [ ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}

Perfect! We have successfully found all those documents that do not have the value of the utility field as “null”.

Operating on a Top-Level Array Field to Check if Value is Not Undefined

In this example, I will show you an example of how to find records where the array field is not undefined. I will be operating on a top-level array field again.

> db.drones.find({ "utility": { $ne: [ undefined ] } }).pretty()
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0c"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Nimbari Gryphon Medeta 65",
        "price" : 77500,
        "weight" : "77 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "carbon fiber",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Cinematography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0d"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "X-Strimmer Eye",
        "price" : 23500,
        "weight" : "24 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "glass fiber",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Cinematography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0e"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Khai Balemosh Shefqa TRX",
        "price" : 120500,
        "weight" : "80 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "aluminum",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0f"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Sifinist Croma AX",
        "price" : 99500,
        "weight" : "97 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "lithium",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf10"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Drovce Finnifield FR-7",
        "price" : 87600,
        "weight" : "13 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "polysterene",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("6195514a50f8bacf51bdb6ac"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "PlayGarra 2078-56",
        "price" : 15000,
        "weight" : "5 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "polysterene",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("6195514a50f8bacf51bdb6ad"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Frinty Gemini 3X70",
        "price" : 55000,
        "weight" : "22 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "aluminum",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching",
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("6195514a50f8bacf51bdb6ae"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Rilche Gabbana Flier RG950",
        "price" : 110000,
        "weight" : "100 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "lithium",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching",
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("619924ef4b1ff00cfd5eb3ae"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Caminara Frucha FCZ-89",
        "price" : 67800,
        "weight" : "35 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "glass fibre",
                "moreUses" : [ ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("619924ef4b1ff00cfd5eb3af"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Azehsra Chelske AZC-HYU56",
        "price" : 45600,
        "weight" : "32 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "carbon fibre",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching",
                        "Precision Agriculture"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : null
}

Great! The operation went successful.

Operating on a Nested Array Field to Check if Value is Not Empty

In this final example, I will check if the given nested array field is not empty. Let’s get right into this.

> db.drones.find({ "additionalDetails.moreUses": { $ne: [] } }).pretty()
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0c"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Nimbari Gryphon Medeta 65",
        "price" : 77500,
        "weight" : "77 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "carbon fiber",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Cinematography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0d"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "X-Strimmer Eye",
        "price" : 23500,
        "weight" : "24 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "glass fiber",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Cinematography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0e"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Khai Balemosh Shefqa TRX",
        "price" : 120500,
        "weight" : "80 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "aluminum",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf0f"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Sifinist Croma AX",
        "price" : 99500,
        "weight" : "97 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "lithium",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("61673f46b34f185eb7b2bf10"),
        "onSale" : false,
        "name" : "Drovce Finnifield FR-7",
        "price" : 87600,
        "weight" : "13 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "polysterene",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("6195514a50f8bacf51bdb6ac"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "PlayGarra 2078-56",
        "price" : 15000,
        "weight" : "5 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "polysterene",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("6195514a50f8bacf51bdb6ad"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Frinty Gemini 3X70",
        "price" : 55000,
        "weight" : "22 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "aluminum",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching",
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("6195514a50f8bacf51bdb6ae"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Rilche Gabbana Flier RG950",
        "price" : 110000,
        "weight" : "100 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "lithium",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching",
                        "Precision Agriculture",
                        "Land Inspection",
                        "Water Inspection",
                        "Videography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                "Recreation",
                "Photography",
                "Videography",
                "Delivery",
                "Natural Resource Exploration"
        ]
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("619924ef4b1ff00cfd5eb3af"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Azehsra Chelske AZC-HYU56",
        "price" : 45600,
        "weight" : "32 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "carbon fibre",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Cinematography",
                        "Wildlife Watching",
                        "Precision Agriculture"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : null
}
{
        "_id" : ObjectId("619924ef4b1ff00cfd5eb3b0"),
        "onSale" : true,
        "name" : "Hazela Gunce QY999",
        "price" : 33900,
        "weight" : "20 kilograms",
        "additionalDetails" : {
                "material" : "carbon fibre",
                "moreUses" : [
                        "Videography",
                        "Wildlife Watching",
                        "Photography"
                ]
        },
        "utility" : [
                undefined
        ]
}

Amazing! We have successfully found records where the embedded array field is not empty.

Conclusion

Learn to find records where array field is not empty.

References

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/14789684/find-mongodb-records-where-array-field-is-not-empty

Aneesha S
Aneesha S
Articles: 175