# Migrate Neon database: Relational records

Move PostgreSQL data from Neon database to Ample, one component at a time. Destination verified on Ample: a workspace-scoped table, an explicit state machine (draft to review to published) that rejects invalid transitions, and a cross-workspace read that returns nothing (transitions=true isolation=true).

## Source procedure:
Take a logical backup with `pg_dump -Fc` from the primary branch. 
### Not migrated automatically:
- Neon branching  
- Autoscaling  
- Scale-to-zero semantics have no equivalent; the managed database is one instance per app.

## Cutover:
- Freeze writes at the source with the user's go-ahead.  
- Take the final dump.  
- Restore, validate, redeploy the app with the managed DATABASE_URL.  
- Keep the Neon project until confirmed.

## Rollback:
Keep the source untouched until you confirm; nothing at the source is changed or deleted by this guide.

## Prerequisites:
- Authorized access to the Neon database source and its export tooling
- An inventory of every component in scope and out of scope
- A validated backup or copy before any cutover
- An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read

## Workflow Steps:
1. **Inventory the source:** List what Neon database provides beyond the component you are moving. Out of scope here: Neon branching, autoscaling, and scale-to-zero semantics have no equivalent; the managed database is one instance per app.
2. **Source step 1:** Take a logical backup with `pg_dump -Fc` from the primary branch.
3. **Source step 2:** Check the Postgres major version and extensions in use against the managed engine (PostgreSQL 16).
4. **Source step 3:** Restore into a scratch managed database first and compare row counts.
5. **Provision and restore:** Deploy the app once so a managed PostgreSQL 16 database exists (or create one with `ample database create --engine postgres`), then restore the dump with pg_restore using its connection string; keep migrations idempotent.  
   - **Command:** `ample database create --name  --engine postgres`.
6. **Validate before cutover:** Run the app's own checks and, for data, compare counts and checksums; the example checks are the pattern self-tests (/p/relational-records).
7. **Cut over:** Freeze writes at the source with the user's go-ahead, take the final dump, restore, validate, redeploy the app with the managed DATABASE_URL; keep the Neon project until confirmed.
8. **Rollback:** Point DNS or configuration back to the source. The source was never modified; deletion is a separate, user-executed step after validation.

## Limitations:
- Documentation only: nothing is executed automatically and no execution binding is offered.
- The source-side procedure is documented from Neon database's standard tooling and was not executed in this catalog's evidence; the destination side was verified with the pattern fixture.
- No full source-product parity is claimed: Neon branching, autoscaling, and scale-to-zero semantics have no equivalent; the managed database is one instance per app.
- Verified on the node-22 template at s-1vcpu-1gb; region, compliance, and request-duration limits are unknown.
- Managed PostgreSQL 16 only; extensions, connection limits and backup or restore procedures on the managed side are not verified beyond the pattern checks.

## Cost Estimate:
- **Currency:** USD
- **Monthly Amount:** 10.0
   - **Basis:** size prices from pricing.toml at build revision 1ac5595375130d45290090e82ed0f554ccd45405-dirty
   - **Components:**
     - **App server:**
     - Size: s-1vcpu-1gb
     - Quantity: 1.0
     - Monthly Amount: 5.0
     - **Managed PostgreSQL database:**
     - Size: s-1vcpu-1gb
     - Quantity: 1.0
     - Monthly Amount: 5.0
   - **Note:** Destination always-on monthly price of the tested sizes; apps auto-pause when idle. Source costs are unknown to Ample.

## Success Checks:
- Destination app responds on its public URL.
- Relational-records check from the destination example.
- Data or object counts and checksums match the source.

## Examples:
- **Express pattern fixture (destination):** Verified destination basis: relational records.

## Evidence Summary:
- **Kind:** canary_run
- **Summary:**  Destination side verified: the Express pattern fixture deployed on Ample and its checks passed.
- **Observed At:** 2026-09-21T02:34:39Z  
- **Implementation Revision:** 1d28ae0-dirty (CLI 0.1.21)  
- **Expires At:** 2027-03-20T02:34:39Z

## Next Actions:
- Browse the catalog index
- Search published recipes by intent, stack, and constraints
- Prepare a side-effect-free deployment plan for an authorized project
- Read the existing agent authentication setup
- Browse Neon database
- Browse Relational records
- Browse Migrate Postgres

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**Note:** Ensure a proper understanding of all steps before proceeding with the migration. # Migrate Neon database: Relational records