Shell db.friends.find({age: {$gt: 18}}) Java Driver friends.find(new BasicDBObject("age",new BasicDBObject("$gt",18))) Jongo friends.find("{age: {$gt: 18}}").as(Friend.class) Faithful spiritMongo query language isn't available in Java, Jongo fixes that. Copy/paste your queries to string. Object orientedSave & find objects into & from collections. Use embedded Jackson marshalling or your own.