Skip to main content

🆙 Upgrading to a Major Update

How to Upgrade a PostgreSQL database inside a Docker Container: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Backup the Database

Before upgrading, it's essential to back up your database to avoid data loss.

  1. Update compose.yaml to Add Volumes:

In your compose.yaml file, add the necessary volumes for data and backups:

postgres:
    ...
    volumes:
        - data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
        - backup:/backup
    ...
  1. Shutdown All Containers Except the Database:

Stop all your stack's containers except for the PostgreSQL container.

  1. Dump the Database into the Backup Directory:

Run the following command to export all SQL tables into a dump file:

docker exec -it <DB_CONTAINER_NAME> pg_dumpall -U <POSTGRES_USER> > /backup/dump.sql

Step 2: Clean Up the Existing Stack

  1. Stop the Database Container:

Bring down the PostgreSQL container:

docker compose down <DB_CONTAINER_NAME>
  1. Delete the Existing data Volume:

To prepare for the upgrade, remove the current data volume associated with PostgreSQL.

Step 3: Upgrade PostgreSQL

  1. Update the PostgreSQL Version:

In the compose.yaml file, change the PostgreSQL image to the new version.

  1. Bring Up the Updated PostgreSQL Container:

Run the following command to start the new version:

docker compose up -d

Step 4: Clear the New Data Volume

  1. Stop All Stack Containers:

Ensure all containers are stopped to avoid any conflicts.

  1. Delete Data Files in the Volume:

Navigate to the PostgreSQL volume and remove the data files located in /var/lib/docker/<DB_CONTAINER_NAME>/_data.

Step 5: Restore the Database

  1. Start the Database Container:

Power on the PostgreSQL container.

  1. Import the Data from Backup:

Use the following command to restore the dumped SQL data into the new PostgreSQL container:

docker exec -it <DB_CONTAINER_NAME> psql -U <POSTGRES_USER> -d <POSTGRES_DATABASE_NAME> < /backup/dump.sql

Final Step: Bring the Stack Back Online

Once the database has been restored, you can start all your other containers again.

And that's it! 🎉 You've successfully upgraded PostgreSQL in your Docker environment.

Happy me! 🌱

Back to top