It is expected that the reader has access to a computer running any of the major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. MongoDB does not need to be installed before you start reading: the first chapter will give you detailed installation instructions.
A basic knowledge of JavaScript is assumed. You should have some idea of JavaScript syntax, but do not have to be a guru.
PHP knowledge is not required, but will be useful to understand the examples in chapters 4 and 8. PHP syntax is very close to that of the C language, and was chosen because most developers are familiar with either PHP or C.
A knowledge of the SQL language is not required, but may be helpful to understand some of the analogies given in the book to help aid understanding of key MongoDB concepts.
Likewise, a knowledge of RDBMS systems is not required, but might help the reader at a foundational level.
Installation instructions and information you need for getting set up are provided in the first chapter.