discourse/docs/MIGRATION.md

Discourse Migration Guide

Install new server

Complete a fresh install of Discourse on the new server, following the official guide, except for the initial database population (rake db:migrate).

Review old server

On old server, run git status and review changes to the tree. For example:

# On branch master
# Changes not staged for commit:
#   (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
#   (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)
#
#	modified:   app/assets/javascripts/external/Markdown.Editor.js
#	modified:   app/views/layouts/application.html.erb
#	modified:   config/application.rb
#
# Untracked files:
#   (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)
#
#	app/views/layouts/application.html.erb.bitnami
#	config/environments/production.rb
#	log/sidekiq.pid
#	vendor/gems/active_model_serializers/
#	vendor/gems/fast_blank/
#	vendor/gems/message_bus/
#	vendor/gems/redis-rack-cache/
#	vendor/gems/sprockets/
#	vendor/gems/vestal_versions/

Review for changes

Review each of the changed files for changes that need to be manually moved over

• Ignore all files under vendor/gems
• Ignore files under log/

Check your config/environments/production.rb, config/discourse.pill, config/database.yml (as per the upgrade instructions)

Move DB

Take DB dump with:

pg_dump --no-owner -U user_name -W database_name > backup_file_name.sql

Copy it over to the new server

Run as discourse user:

createdb discourse_prod
psql discourse_prod
    \i backup_file_name.sql

On oldserver:

rsync -avz -e ssh public newserver:public

On the new server:

    bundle install --without test --deployment
    RAILS_ENV=production bundle exec rake db:migrate
    RAILS_ENV=production bundle exec rake assets:precompile
    RAILS_ENV=production bundle exec rake posts:rebake

If the rake db:migrate step fails, you might have to run it twice.

Are you just testing your migration? Disable outgoing email by changing config/environments/production.rb and adding the following below the mail configuration:

config.action_mailer.perform_deliveries = false