---
title: "Automated PostgreSQL migration"
---
<PlanAvailability slug="all-commercial" />

Migrating databases can be a daunting task, and it can be easy to overlook or misinterpret some of the required steps if you haven't performed a migration before. Our `migration-assist` tool provides an efficient, error-free migration experience that automates the [tasks to be executed](/administration-guide/manage/admin/manual-postgres-migration), even in air-gapped deployment environments.

Not sure this tool is right for your Mattermost deployment? Mattermost customers looking for tailored guidance based on their Mattermost deployment can contact a [Mattermost Expert](https://mattermost.com/contact-sales/).

## Install

Download the Mattermost `migration-assist` tool from the GitHub repository [releases page](https://github.com/mattermost/migration-assist/releases).

While you can run the `migration-assist` tool on the same server as your Mattermost deployment, we recommend running the tool in a virtual machine on the same network as your Mattermost server instead. The tool itself is lightweight and does not require a large server. A server with 2 CPU cores and 16 GB of RAM should be sufficient. If preferred, you can download and [compile](#compile-the-migration-assist-tool) the `migration-assist` tool yourself.

You'll also need to install the `pgloader` tool to migrate your data from MySQL to PostgreSQL. We recommend running `pgloader` in a virtual machine on the same network as your Mattermost server. You can use our official Mattermost Docker image for pgloader (`mattermost/pgloader:latest`); please note that it does **not** currently support MySQL’s `caching_sha2_password` authentication plugin. If you require `caching_sha2_password` support, you’ll need to build your own image and include the [qitab/qmynd](https://github.com/qitab/qmynd) library. See the [pgloader](/administration-guide/manage/admin/manual-postgres-migration#install-pgloader) installation documentation for details.

## Usage

<Important>

- If you encounter heap exhaustion errors in `pgloader`, edit your generated `migration.load` and under the `WITH` block set: `prefetch rows = 1000` and consider reducing it if the issue persists.
- Please make sure you have the necessary environment to perform the migration. Ensure that the MySQL and PostgreSQL databases are running and accessible. To set up a PostgreSQL instance, see the [prepare your Mattermost database](/deployment-guide/server/prepare-database) documentation for details.
- If you were previously utilizing a database for handling the [Mattermost configuration](/administration-guide/configure/configuration-in-your-database), those tables will not be migrated from your MySQL database with the migration [script](#migrate-the-data). You will need to manually migrate those configuration settings to your PostgreSQL database after completing the migration process. See the [configuration in database](/administration-guide/manage/admin/manual-postgres-migration#configuration-in-database) documentation for details.

</Important>

### Step 1 - Check the MySQL database schema

Run the following command to check the MySQL database schema:

``` sh
migration-assist mysql "<MYSQL_DSN>"  # example DSN: "user:password@tcp(address:3306)/db_name"
```

This command outputs the readiness status and prints required fixes for common issues. The flags for fixes are as follows (you can combine all of them):

``` text
--fix-artifacts   Removes the artifacts from older versions of Mattermost
--fix-unicode     Strips unsupported Unicode characters from MySQL tables
--fix-varchar     Removes rows exceeding column lengths
```

### Step 2 - Create the PostgreSQL database schema

Before running migrations, ensure the `public` schema is owned by your migration user:

``` sql
sudo -u postgres psql -d mattermost -c "ALTER SCHEMA public OWNER TO mmuser; GRANT ALL ON SCHEMA public TO mmuser;"
```

Then run:

``` sh
migration-assist postgres "<POSTGRES_DSN>" \
  --run-migrations \
  --mattermost-version="<MATTERMOST_VERSION>"
```

- `<POSTGRES_DSN>` example: `postgres://user:password@address:5432/db_name`
- `<MATTERMOST_VERSION>` example: `10.5.4`

By default, two pre-checks run before migration:

- `--check-schema-owner=true`
- `--check-tables-empty=true`

To disable them:

``` sh
--check-schema-owner=false \
--check-tables-empty=false
```

### Step 3 - Generate a pgloader configuration

Run the following command to emit a pgloader configuration file:

``` sh
migration-assist pgloader \
  --mysql="<MYSQL_DSN>" \
  --postgres="<POSTGRES_DSN>" \
  --remove-null-chars \
  > migration.load
```

- By default, null characters in text columns are stripped. Disable with `--remove-null-chars=false`.

- If you run out of heap, edit `migration.load` and under the `WITH` block set:

  ``` text
  prefetch rows = 1000
  ```

### Step 4 - Run pgloader

[Run pgloader](/administration-guide/manage/admin/manual-postgres-migration#pgloader) with the generated configuration file:

``` sh
pgloader migration.load > migration.log
```

Carefully review <code>migration.log</code> for errors (e.g., duplicate-key or missing-table warnings). Use the `mattermost/pgloader:latest` Docker image to avoid build/auth issues.

### Step 5 - Restore full-text indexes & create all indexes

Run:

``` sh
migration-assist postgres post-migrate --create-indexes "<POSTGRES_DSN>"
```

- The `--create-indexes` flag rebuilds full-text indexes on `Posts` and `FileInfo`, plus all other Mattermost indexes.
- Omitting that flag only restores full-text indexes for `Posts` and `FileInfo`.

See the [Restore full-text indexes](/administration-guide/manage/admin/manual-postgres-migration#restore-full-text-indexes) documentation for details.

### Step 6 - Complete plugin migrations

Generate pgloader configs for Playbooks, Boards, and Calls:

``` sh
migration-assist pgloader boards \
  --mysql="<MYSQL_DSN>" \
  --postgres="<POSTGRES_DSN>" > boards.load
migration-assist pgloader playbooks \
  --mysql="<MYSQL_DSN>" \
  --postgres="<POSTGRES_DSN>" > playbooks.load
migration-assist pgloader calls \
  --mysql="<MYSQL_DSN>" \
  --postgres="<POSTGRES_DSN>" > calls.load
```

Run each:

``` sh
pgloader boards.load           > boards_migration.log
pgloader playbooks.load        > playbooks_migration.log
pgloader calls.load            > calls_migration.log
```

Skip any plugin you don't use; check logs for JSON or missing-table errors. See the [Plugin migrations](/administration-guide/manage/admin/manual-postgres-migration#plugin-migrations) guide for more.

### Step 7 - Configure Mattermost to use PostgreSQL

In your `config.json` or via environment variables, update:

``` json
"SqlSettings": {
  "DriverName": "postgres",
  "DataSource": "postgres://mmuser:pass@db:5432/mattermost?sslmode=disable"
}
```

If your config was stored in the database, update `MM_CONFIG` accordingly. See the [environment configuration settings](/administration-guide/configure/environment-configuration-settings#database) documentation for details.

<Note>

If your Mattermost deployment was initially configured with MySQL, there's a good chance your systemd service file has a `BindsTo=mysql.service` directive in it. This will cause the Mattermost server to be shut down if you deactivate your MySQL service. To fix this, update all references to `mysql.service` in your service file to use `postgresql.service` instead. This is only an issue if your Database and Mattermost are running on the same system.

</Note>

## Air-gapped environments

Follow these steps to migrate within an air-gapped environment:

1.  **Verify** that the <code>migration-assist</code> binary is the latest version available to benefit from improvements and fixes.

2.  **Transfer** the latest <code>migration-assist</code> binary into the air-gapped environment (e.g., via secure media).

3.  **Generate** the MySQL schema+data output using fix flags. This produces `mysql.output`:

    ``` sh
    migration-assist mysql "user:pass@tcp(localhost:3306)/mattermost" \
      --fix-artifacts --fix-unicode --fix-varchar > mysql.output
    ```

4.  **Apply** migrations using the generated output:

    ``` sh
    migration-assist postgres \
      "postgres://mmuser:pass@localhost:5432/imported?sslmode=disable" \
      --run-migrations --applied-migrations="./mysql.output"
    ```

5.  **Continue** from **Step 3** through **Step 7** above to complete data transfer and configuration.

## Tool commands

The `migration-assist` tool offers 3 core commands:

1.  `migration-assist mysql` — Checks MySQL schema readiness and offers fixes.
2.  `migration-assist postgres` — Builds the PostgreSQL schema and applies migrations.
3.  `migration-assist pgloader` — Generates a pgloader config for data transfer.

## Compile the migration-assist tool

Requires Go ≥ v1.22. Install with:

``` shell
go install github.com/mattermost/migration-assist/cmd/migration-assist@latest
```

## Troubleshooting

See [troubleshooting errors during migration from MySQL to PostgreSQL](/administration-guide/manage/admin/postgres-migration#troubleshooting).