Migrate Neon database: Text search over records

Move PostgreSQL data from Neon database to Ample, one component at a time. Destination verified on Ample: a generated tsvector column with a GIN index, ranked websearch queries and a negative query returning nothing (search=ok).

Source procedure

Take a logical backup with pg_dump -Fc from the primary branch. Not migrated automatically: Neon branching, autoscaling and 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.

Representative Queries

• Migrate Neon database: Text search over records
• Where can I host Text search over records?
• I need a component-scoped export/import or reconfiguration procedure for Text search over records, with compatibility checks, verification and rollback.

Resource Requirements

• primitive:postgres

Infrastructure Requirements

• Postgres: Managed PostgreSQL 16 runs in its own microVM and is auto-provisioned when an app needs a database and no DATABASE_URL is supplied.

Workload

Text search over records

Migration Source

Neon database

Release Status

Published

Support Status

Verified

Execution Status

Unbound

Documentation Only

1. 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

Tested Configuration

• Template: node-22
• Runtime: node
• Size: s-1vcpu-1gb
• Install: npm install
• Build: npm run build --if-present
• Start: npm run start

Workflow Steps

1. Inventory the source: List what Neon database provides beyond the component you are moving.
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, then restore the dump with pg_restore using its connection string.
6. Validate before cutover: Run the app's own checks and, for data, compare counts and checksums.
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.
8. Rollback: Point DNS or configuration back to the source.

Examples

• Express pattern fixture (destination): Verified destination basis: text search over records. (Source Ref: tests/deploy-canaries/express-patterns)

Success Checks

• Destination app responds on its public URL.
• Text-search-over-records check from the destination example matches.
• Data or object counts and checksums match the source.

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.
• No full source-product parity is claimed.

Cost Estimate

• Currency: USD
• Monthly Amount: 10.0
• 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.

Evidence Summary

• Destination side verified: the Express pattern fixture deployed on Ample and its checks passed.

Last Verified At

2026-09-21T02:34:39Z

Unknowns

• Region availability and compliance attestations are unknown.