What are cursor methods in MongoDB?

Cursor methods in MongoDB are specifically designed to be chained to queries to perform various actions on the result set. When a query is executed in MongoDB, it returns a cursor, which is an object that enables you to iterate over the results of that query.

These cursor methods provide functionalities such as filtering, sorting, limiting the number of documents returned, and skipping documents within the result set. For instance, methods like .sort(), .limit(), and .skip() allow for fine-tuned control over the data being retrieved, making it easier to handle large datasets by only working with relevant subsets of data.

In addition to these methods, cursors also allow for iteration through the returned documents, which can be done in a straightforward manner and is a fundamental feature of working with MongoDB. The ability to chain these methods is crucial for building complex queries and processing data effectively.

Understanding cursor methods is essential for anyone working with MongoDB, as they form the foundation of how data is accessed and manipulated after a query is executed.