gitlab-org--gitlab-foss/doc/update/mysql_to_postgresql.md

# Migrating GitLab from MySQL to Postgres

If you are replacing MySQL with Postgres while keeping GitLab on the same
server all you need to do is to export from MySQL and import into Postgres as
described below. If you are also moving GitLab to another server, or if you are
switching to omnibus-gitlab, you may want to use a GitLab backup file. The
second part of this documents explains the procedure to do this.

## Export from MySQL and import into Postgres

Use this if you are keeping GitLab on the same server.

```
sudo service gitlab stop

# Update /home/git/gitlab/config/database.yml

git clone https://github.com/gitlabhq/mysql-postgresql-converter.git
cd mysql-postgresql-converter
mysqldump --compatible=postgresql --default-character-set=utf8 -r databasename.mysql -u root gitlabhq_production
python db_converter.py databasename.mysql databasename.psql
psql -f databasename.psql -d gitlabhq_production

sudo service gitlab start
```

## Converting a GitLab backup file from MySQL to Postgres

GitLab backup files (<timestamp>_gitlab_backup.tar) contain a SQL dump.  Using
the lanyrd database converter we can replace a MySQL database dump inside the
tar file with a Postgres database dump. This can be useful if you are moving to
another server.

```
# Stop GitLab
sudo service gitlab stop

# Create the backup
cd /home/git/gitlab
sudo -u git -H bundle exec rake gitlab:backup:create RAILS_ENV=production

# Note the filename of the backup that was created. We will call it
# TIMESTAMP_gitlab_backup.tar below.

# Move the backup file we will convert to its own directory
sudo -u git -H mkdir -p tmp/backups/postgresql
sudo -u git -H mv tmp/backups/TIMESTAMP_gitlab_backup.tar tmp/backups/postgresql/

# Create a separate database dump with PostgreSQL compatibility
cd tmp/backups/postgresql
sudo -u git -H mysqldump --compatible=postgresql --default-character-set=utf8 -r gitlabhq_production.mysql -u root gitlabhq_production

# Clone the database converter
sudo -u git -H git clone https://github.com/lanyrd/mysql-postgresql-converter.git

# Convert gitlabhq_production.mysql
sudo -u git -H mkdir db
sudo -u git -H python mysql-postgresql-converter/db_converter.py gitlabhq_production.mysql db/database.sql

# Replace the MySQL dump in TIMESTAMP_gitlab_backup.tar.

# Warning: if you forget to replace TIMESTAMP below, tar will create a new file
# 'TIMESTAMP_gitlab_backup.tar' without giving an error.

sudo -u git -H tar rf TIMESTAMP_gitlab_backup.tar db/database.sql

# Done! TIMESTAMP_gitlab_backup.tar can now be restored into a Postgres GitLab installation.
```