mongodb – How can I properly handle database connections in a Node.js application?

I’m building a Node.js application using Express.js and MongoDB (Mongoose). I want to ensure that my database connections are handled efficiently to avoid memory leaks and connection issues.

Currently, I’m connecting to MongoDB like this in my server.js file:

const mongoose = require('mongoose');

mongoose.connect('mongodb://localhost:27017/mydatabase', {
  useNewUrlParser: true,
  useUnifiedTopology: true,
});

const db = mongoose.connection;

db.on('error', console.error.bind(console, 'MongoDB connection error:'));
db.once('open', () => {
  console.log('Connected to MongoDB');
});

I have a few concerns:

1. Is this the best way to handle database connections in a Node.js application?
2. Should I close the connection manually when the server stops, and if so, how?
3. What are the best practices for handling database connection errors and reconnecting automatically?

I’ve read about connection pooling and keeping a persistent connection, but I’m not sure how to implement these properly. Any guidance would be appreciated!