diff --git a/packages/atlas-service/src/secret-store.ts b/packages/atlas-service/src/secret-store.ts
index 29118af3975..a303151250f 100644
--- a/packages/atlas-service/src/secret-store.ts
+++ b/packages/atlas-service/src/secret-store.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
-import { UserData, z } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
+import { FileUserData, z } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
 import { safeStorage } from 'electron';
 
 const AtlasPluginStateSchema = z.string().optional();
 
 export class SecretStore {
-  private readonly userData: UserData<typeof AtlasPluginStateSchema>;
+  private readonly userData: FileUserData<typeof AtlasPluginStateSchema>;
   private readonly fileName = 'AtlasPluginState';
   constructor(basePath?: string) {
-    this.userData = new UserData(AtlasPluginStateSchema, {
+    this.userData = new FileUserData(AtlasPluginStateSchema, {
       subdir: 'AtlasState',
       basePath,
     });
diff --git a/packages/compass-data-modeling/src/services/data-model-storage-electron.tsx b/packages/compass-data-modeling/src/services/data-model-storage-electron.tsx
index 29c23458f3e..fa7a62f77e9 100644
--- a/packages/compass-data-modeling/src/services/data-model-storage-electron.tsx
+++ b/packages/compass-data-modeling/src/services/data-model-storage-electron.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import React from 'react';
-import { UserData } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
+import { FileUserData } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
 import type {
   DataModelStorage,
   MongoDBDataModelDescription,
@@ -8,9 +8,11 @@ import { MongoDBDataModelDescriptionSchema } from './data-model-storage';
 import { DataModelStorageServiceProvider } from '../provider';
 
 class DataModelStorageElectron implements DataModelStorage {
-  private readonly userData: UserData<typeof MongoDBDataModelDescriptionSchema>;
+  private readonly userData: FileUserData<
+    typeof MongoDBDataModelDescriptionSchema
+  >;
   constructor(basePath?: string) {
-    this.userData = new UserData(MongoDBDataModelDescriptionSchema, {
+    this.userData = new FileUserData(MongoDBDataModelDescriptionSchema, {
       subdir: 'DataModelDescriptions',
       basePath,
     });
diff --git a/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/preferences-persistent-storage.ts b/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/preferences-persistent-storage.ts
index 4507f7ccacf..2a66dee37d5 100644
--- a/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/preferences-persistent-storage.ts
+++ b/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/preferences-persistent-storage.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { type z, UserData } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
+import { type z, FileUserData } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
 import {
   getDefaultsForStoredPreferences,
   getPreferencesValidator,
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ export type PreferencesSafeStorage = {
 export class PersistentStorage implements PreferencesStorage {
   private readonly file = 'General';
   private readonly defaultPreferences = getDefaultsForStoredPreferences();
-  private readonly userData: UserData<StoredPreferencesValidator>;
+  private readonly userData: FileUserData<StoredPreferencesValidator>;
   private preferences: StoredPreferences = getDefaultsForStoredPreferences();
   private safeStorage?: PreferencesSafeStorage;
 
   constructor(basePath?: string, safeStorage?: PreferencesSafeStorage) {
-    this.userData = new UserData(getPreferencesValidator(), {
+    this.userData = new FileUserData(getPreferencesValidator(), {
       subdir: 'AppPreferences',
       basePath,
     });
diff --git a/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/user-storage.ts b/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/user-storage.ts
index 044d6b04b30..fbaed7f7b27 100644
--- a/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/user-storage.ts
+++ b/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/user-storage.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { z } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
 import { UUID } from 'bson';
-import { UserData } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
+import { FileUserData } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
 
 const UserSchema = z.object({
   id: z.string().uuid(),
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ export interface UserStorage {
 }
 
 export class UserStorageImpl implements UserStorage {
-  private readonly userData: UserData<typeof UserSchema>;
+  private readonly userData: FileUserData<typeof UserSchema>;
   constructor(basePath?: string) {
-    this.userData = new UserData(UserSchema, {
+    this.userData = new FileUserData(UserSchema, {
       subdir: 'Users',
       basePath,
     });
diff --git a/packages/compass-shell/src/modules/history-storage.ts b/packages/compass-shell/src/modules/history-storage.ts
index f302a2cf892..5f1cab73a04 100644
--- a/packages/compass-shell/src/modules/history-storage.ts
+++ b/packages/compass-shell/src/modules/history-storage.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import { getAppName } from '@mongodb-js/compass-utils';
-import { UserData, z } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
+import { FileUserData, z } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
 
 export class HistoryStorage {
   fileName = 'shell-history';
   userData;
 
   constructor(basePath?: string) {
-    this.userData = new UserData(z.string().array(), {
+    this.userData = new FileUserData(z.string().array(), {
       // Todo: https://jira.mongodb.org/browse/COMPASS-7080
       subdir: getAppName() ?? '',
       basePath,
diff --git a/packages/compass-user-data/src/index.ts b/packages/compass-user-data/src/index.ts
index f5b3b57d6bc..b216fd77f99 100644
--- a/packages/compass-user-data/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/compass-user-data/src/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 export type { Stats, ReadAllResult, ReadAllWithStatsResult } from './user-data';
-export { UserData } from './user-data';
+export { IUserData, FileUserData } from './user-data';
 export { z } from 'zod';
diff --git a/packages/compass-user-data/src/user-data.spec.ts b/packages/compass-user-data/src/user-data.spec.ts
index e1f2ead78cb..155a020092a 100644
--- a/packages/compass-user-data/src/user-data.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/compass-user-data/src/user-data.spec.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { Stats } from 'fs';
 import os from 'os';
 import path from 'path';
 import { expect } from 'chai';
-import { UserData, type UserDataOptions } from './user-data';
+import { FileUserData, type FileUserDataOptions } from './user-data';
 import { z, type ZodError } from 'zod';
 
 type ValidatorOptions = {
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@ describe('user-data', function () {
 
   const getUserData = (
     userDataOpts: Partial<
-      UserDataOptions<z.input<ReturnType<typeof getTestSchema>>>
+      FileUserDataOptions<z.input<ReturnType<typeof getTestSchema>>>
     > = {},
     validatorOpts: ValidatorOptions = {}
   ) => {
-    return new UserData(getTestSchema(validatorOpts), {
+    return new FileUserData(getTestSchema(validatorOpts), {
       subdir,
       basePath: tmpDir,
       ...userDataOpts,
diff --git a/packages/compass-user-data/src/user-data.ts b/packages/compass-user-data/src/user-data.ts
index 92d3cd36d5e..ec4cad6868f 100644
--- a/packages/compass-user-data/src/user-data.ts
+++ b/packages/compass-user-data/src/user-data.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ type SerializeContent<I> = (content: I) => string;
 type DeserializeContent = (content: string) => unknown;
 type GetFileName = (id: string) => string;
 
-export type UserDataOptions<Input> = {
+export type FileUserDataOptions<Input> = {
   subdir: string;
   basePath?: string;
   serialize?: SerializeContent<Input>;
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ export type UserDataOptions<Input> = {
   getFileName?: GetFileName;
 };
 
+export type AtlasUserDataOptions<Input> = {
+  serialize?: SerializeContent<Input>;
+  deserialize?: DeserializeContent;
+};
+
 type ReadOptions = {
   ignoreErrors: boolean;
 };
@@ -63,28 +68,54 @@ export interface ReadAllWithStatsResult<T extends z.Schema> {
   errors: Error[];
 }
 
-export class UserData<T extends z.Schema> {
+export abstract class IUserData<T extends z.Schema> {
+  protected readonly validator: T;
+  protected readonly serialize: SerializeContent<z.input<T>>;
+  protected readonly deserialize: DeserializeContent;
+
+  constructor(
+    validator: T,
+    {
+      serialize = (content: z.input<T>) => JSON.stringify(content, null, 2),
+      deserialize = JSON.parse,
+    }: {
+      serialize?: SerializeContent<z.input<T>>;
+      deserialize?: DeserializeContent;
+    } = {}
+  ) {
+    this.validator = validator;
+    this.serialize = serialize;
+    this.deserialize = deserialize;
+  }
+
+  abstract write(id: string, content: z.input<T>): Promise<boolean>;
+  abstract delete(id: string): Promise<boolean>;
+  abstract readAll(options?: ReadOptions): Promise<ReadAllResult<T>>;
+  abstract updateAttributes(
+    id: string,
+    data: Partial<z.input<T>>
+  ): Promise<z.output<T>>;
+}
+
+export class FileUserData<T extends z.Schema> extends IUserData<T> {
   private readonly subdir: string;
   private readonly basePath?: string;
-  private readonly serialize: SerializeContent<z.input<T>>;
-  private readonly deserialize: DeserializeContent;
   private readonly getFileName: GetFileName;
-  private readonly semaphore = new Semaphore(100);
+  protected readonly semaphore = new Semaphore(100);
 
   constructor(
-    private readonly validator: T,
+    validator: T,
     {
       subdir,
       basePath,
-      serialize = (content: z.input<T>) => JSON.stringify(content, null, 2),
-      deserialize = JSON.parse,
+      serialize,
+      deserialize,
       getFileName = (id) => `${id}.json`,
-    }: UserDataOptions<z.input<T>>
+    }: FileUserDataOptions<z.input<T>>
   ) {
+    super(validator, { serialize, deserialize });
     this.subdir = subdir;
     this.basePath = basePath;
-    this.deserialize = deserialize;
-    this.serialize = serialize;
     this.getFileName = getFileName;
   }
 
@@ -290,4 +321,15 @@ export class UserData<T extends z.Schema> {
   ) {
     return (await this.readOneWithStats(id, options))?.[0];
   }
+
+  async updateAttributes(
+    id: string,
+    data: Partial<z.input<T>>
+  ): Promise<z.output<T>> {
+    await this.write(id, {
+      ...((await this.readOne(id)) ?? {}),
+      ...data,
+    });
+    return await this.readOne(id);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/connection-storage/src/compass-main-connection-storage.ts b/packages/connection-storage/src/compass-main-connection-storage.ts
index ade7c9e9e6e..78f5380b735 100644
--- a/packages/connection-storage/src/compass-main-connection-storage.ts
+++ b/packages/connection-storage/src/compass-main-connection-storage.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import type {
   ImportConnectionOptions,
   ExportConnectionOptions,
 } from './import-export-connection';
-import { UserData, z } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
+import { FileUserData, z } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
 import type {
   ConnectionStorage,
   AutoConnectPreferences,
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ const ConnectionSchema: z.Schema<ConnectionWithLegacyProps> = z
   .passthrough();
 
 class CompassMainConnectionStorage implements ConnectionStorage {
-  private readonly userData: UserData<typeof ConnectionSchema>;
+  private readonly userData: FileUserData<typeof ConnectionSchema>;
 
   private readonly version = 1;
   private readonly maxAllowedRecentConnections = 10;
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class CompassMainConnectionStorage implements ConnectionStorage {
     private readonly ipcMain: ConnectionStorageIPCMain,
     basePath?: string
   ) {
-    this.userData = new UserData(ConnectionSchema, {
+    this.userData = new FileUserData(ConnectionSchema, {
       subdir: 'Connections',
       basePath,
     });
diff --git a/packages/my-queries-storage/src/compass-pipeline-storage.ts b/packages/my-queries-storage/src/compass-pipeline-storage.ts
index daa5ae362eb..766fc0166a0 100644
--- a/packages/my-queries-storage/src/compass-pipeline-storage.ts
+++ b/packages/my-queries-storage/src/compass-pipeline-storage.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 import type { Stats } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
-import { UserData } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
+import { FileUserData } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
 import { PipelineSchema } from './pipeline-storage-schema';
 import type { SavedPipeline } from './pipeline-storage-schema';
 import type { PipelineStorage } from './pipeline-storage';
 
 export class CompassPipelineStorage implements PipelineStorage {
-  private readonly userData: UserData<typeof PipelineSchema>;
+  private readonly userData: FileUserData<typeof PipelineSchema>;
   constructor(basePath?: string) {
-    this.userData = new UserData(PipelineSchema, {
+    this.userData = new FileUserData(PipelineSchema, {
       subdir: 'SavedPipelines',
       basePath,
     });
diff --git a/packages/my-queries-storage/src/compass-query-storage.ts b/packages/my-queries-storage/src/compass-query-storage.ts
index e9b6b3b6169..c133ee81c53 100644
--- a/packages/my-queries-storage/src/compass-query-storage.ts
+++ b/packages/my-queries-storage/src/compass-query-storage.ts
@@ -1,44 +1,30 @@
 import { UUID, EJSON } from 'bson';
-import { UserData, type z } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
-import {
-  RecentQuerySchema,
-  FavoriteQuerySchema,
-  type RecentQuery,
-  type FavoriteQuery,
-} from './query-storage-schema';
+import { type z } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
+import { type IUserData, FileUserData } from '@mongodb-js/compass-user-data';
+import { RecentQuerySchema, FavoriteQuerySchema } from './query-storage-schema';
 import type { FavoriteQueryStorage, RecentQueryStorage } from './query-storage';
 
 export type QueryStorageOptions = {
   basepath?: string;
 };
 
-export interface QueryStorageBackend<TData> {
-  loadAll(namespace?: string): Promise<TData[]>;
-  updateAttributes(id: string, data: Partial<TData>): Promise<TData>;
-  delete(id: string): Promise<boolean>;
-  saveQuery(data: Omit<TData, '_id' | '_lastExecuted'>): Promise<void>;
-}
-
-export abstract class CompassQueryStorage<
-  TSchema extends z.Schema,
-  TData extends z.output<TSchema> = z.output<TSchema>
-> implements QueryStorageBackend<TData>
-{
-  protected readonly userData: UserData<TSchema>;
+export abstract class CompassQueryStorage<TSchema extends z.Schema> {
+  protected readonly userData: IUserData<TSchema>;
   constructor(
     schemaValidator: TSchema,
     protected readonly folder: string,
     protected readonly options: QueryStorageOptions
   ) {
-    this.userData = new UserData(schemaValidator, {
+    // TODO: logic for whether we're in compass web or compass desktop
+    this.userData = new FileUserData(schemaValidator, {
       subdir: folder,
       basePath: options.basepath,
       serialize: (content) => EJSON.stringify(content, undefined, 2),
-      deserialize: (content) => EJSON.parse(content),
+      deserialize: (content: string) => EJSON.parse(content),
     });
   }
 
-  async loadAll(namespace?: string): Promise<TData[]> {
+  async loadAll(namespace?: string): Promise<z.output<TSchema>[]> {
     try {
       const { data } = await this.userData.readAll();
       const sortedData = data
@@ -52,23 +38,26 @@ export abstract class CompassQueryStorage<
     }
   }
 
-  async updateAttributes(id: string, data: Partial<TData>): Promise<TData> {
-    await this.userData.write(id, {
-      ...((await this.userData.readOne(id)) ?? {}),
-      ...data,
-    });
-    return await this.userData.readOne(id);
+  async write(id: string, content: z.input<TSchema>): Promise<boolean> {
+    return await this.userData.write(id, content);
   }
 
   async delete(id: string) {
     return await this.userData.delete(id);
   }
 
-  abstract saveQuery(data: any): Promise<void>;
+  async updateAttributes(
+    id: string,
+    data: Partial<z.input<TSchema>>
+  ): Promise<z.output<TSchema>> {
+    return await this.userData.updateAttributes(id, data);
+  }
+
+  abstract saveQuery(data: Partial<z.input<TSchema>>): Promise<void>;
 }
 
 export class CompassRecentQueryStorage
-  extends CompassQueryStorage<typeof RecentQuerySchema, RecentQuery>
+  extends CompassQueryStorage<typeof RecentQuerySchema>
   implements RecentQueryStorage
 {
   private readonly maxAllowedQueries = 30;
@@ -88,6 +77,7 @@ export class CompassRecentQueryStorage
     }
 
     const _id = new UUID().toString();
+    // this creates a recent query that we will write to system/db
     const recentQuery = {
       ...data,
       _id,
@@ -98,7 +88,7 @@ export class CompassRecentQueryStorage
 }
 
 export class CompassFavoriteQueryStorage
-  extends CompassQueryStorage<typeof FavoriteQuerySchema, FavoriteQuery>
+  extends CompassQueryStorage<typeof FavoriteQuerySchema>
   implements FavoriteQueryStorage
 {
   constructor(options: QueryStorageOptions = {}) {
@@ -112,6 +102,7 @@ export class CompassFavoriteQueryStorage
     >
   ): Promise<void> {
     const _id = new UUID().toString();
+    // this creates a favorite query that we will write to system/db
     const favoriteQuery = {
       ...data,
       _id,