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$minDistance

Definition

Computes minimum planar or spherical distance to supplied points.

Expression operator · Arithmetic · Studio Visual: not exposed. Studio validates the complete expression separately.

Syntax

{
  "$minDistance": {
    "input": <input>,
    "points": <points>,
    "spherical": <spherical>
  }
}

Replace angle-bracket placeholders with expressions or values.

Optional parameters may be omitted.

Parameters

Parameter Required Description
input Yes Origin point as [longitude, latitude] or an object with a coordinates array.
points Yes Array of candidate points in the same format as input.
spherical No Literal boolean, default false. True returns great-circle distance in meters; false returns Euclidean distance in coordinate units.

Behavior

The following observations use the example expression below. Each row substitutes one argument while retaining the other example arguments. A missing field differs from an explicit null; the result shown is what Core actually returned.

For the input argument:

Input case Supplied value Result
null null Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
missing Field absent Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
decimal 2.5 Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
numeric string "12" Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
text "hello" Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
boolean true Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
typed date {"$date":"2026-01-15T15:00:00Z"} Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
empty array [] Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
numeric array [1,2,3] 2.8284271247461903 (double)
object {"x":1} Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]

Argument handling

Invocation Result
{"$minDistance":[]} Error — $minDistance expects an object with 'input' and 'points'
{"$minDistance":{"unexpected":1}} Error — $minDistance requires 'input' and 'points'

Examples

Expression: 

{
  "$minDistance": {
    "input": [
      0,
      0
    ],
    "points": [
      [
        3,
        4
      ]
    ]
  }
}

Input document: 

{}

Observed SrotaX result: 5.0 (double).

Detailed input cases

Expand the complete argument-by-argument test matrix

Each table changes only the indicated argument from the example above. Other arguments retain their baseline values. Values normally come from the input field probe; literal configuration arguments are replaced directly. “Missing” means the field is absent, not explicitly null. Numeric strings are strings, not numbers.

Argument: input

Input case Supplied value SrotaX result
null null Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
missing Field absent Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
zero 0 Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
negative -2 Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
decimal 2.5 Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
numeric string "12" Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
text "hello" Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
empty string "" Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
boolean true Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
false false Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
typed date {"$date":"2026-01-15T15:00:00Z"} Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
decimal128 {"$numberDecimal":"1.25"} Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
empty array [] Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
numeric array [1,2,3] 2.8284271247461903 (double)
mixed array [1,null,"x",3] Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
nested array [[1,2],[3]] Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
empty object {} Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
object {"x":1} Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
ISO date string "2026-01-15T15:00:00Z" Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
omitted named argument Argument removed Error — $minDistance requires 'input' and 'points'

Argument: points

Input case Supplied value SrotaX result
null null Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
missing Field absent Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
zero 0 Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
negative -2 Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
decimal 2.5 Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
numeric string "12" Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
text "hello" Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
empty string "" Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
boolean true Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
false false Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
typed date {"$date":"2026-01-15T15:00:00Z"} Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
decimal128 {"$numberDecimal":"1.25"} Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
empty array [] null
numeric array [1,2,3] Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
mixed array [1,null,"x",3] Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
nested array [[1,2],[3]] Error — $minDistance expects GeoJSON point arrays [longitude, latitude]
empty object {} Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
object {"x":1} Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
ISO date string "2026-01-15T15:00:00Z" Error — $minDistance 'points' must resolve to an array
omitted named argument Argument removed Error — $minDistance requires 'input' and 'points'

Argument: spherical

Input case Supplied value SrotaX result
null null 5.0 (double)
missing Field absent 5.0 (double)
zero 0 5.0 (double)
negative -2 5.0 (double)
decimal 2.5 5.0 (double)
numeric string "12" 5.0 (double)
text "hello" 5.0 (double)
empty string "" 5.0 (double)
boolean true 5.0 (double)
false false 5.0 (double)
typed date {"$date":"2026-01-15T15:00:00Z"} 5.0 (double)
decimal128 {"$numberDecimal":"1.25"} 5.0 (double)
empty array [] 5.0 (double)
numeric array [1,2,3] 5.0 (double)
mixed array [1,null,"x",3] 5.0 (double)
nested array [[1,2],[3]] 5.0 (double)
empty object {} 5.0 (double)
object {"x":1} 5.0 (double)
ISO date string "2026-01-15T15:00:00Z" 5.0 (double)
omitted named argument Argument removed 5.0 (double)

Verification

This page records 63 executed cases. It covers individual argument substitutions, not every cross-product of arguments, locale, daylight-saving transitions, numeric overflow, collation or resource limits. No untested behavior is guaranteed.

Download exact expressions, inputs and SrotaX results. Errors are observed messages, not stable public error codes. The reference generator reads the checked-in execution report; do not edit generated observations by hand.

MongoDB differences

This name is a SrotaX extension or belongs to another MongoDB context. It is not compared as a MongoDB aggregation expression. This is not a missing implementation failure.