Migrate Self-managed PostgreSQL: JSON document metadata

Move PostgreSQL data from Self-managed PostgreSQL to Ample, one component at a time. Destination verified on Ample: a jsonb column with a GIN index queried by path and containment, with an aggregate over matching documents (json=ok). Source procedure: Take a logical backup with pg_dump -Fc as a role that can read all application objects. Not migrated automatically: Custom extensions, tablespaces, replication topology, superuser-only settings and OS-level backups have no equivalent on the managed database. Cutover: Freeze writes with the user's go-ahead, take the final dump, restore, validate, redeploy with the managed DATABASE_URL, keep the source server until confirmed. Rollback: keep the source untouched until you confirm; nothing at the source is changed or deleted by this guide.

Representative Queries

• Migrate Self-managed PostgreSQL: JSON document metadata
• Where can I host JSON document metadata?
• I need a component-scoped export/import or reconfiguration procedure for JSON document metadata, 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.

Migration Source

• Self-managed PostgreSQL

Prerequisites

• Authorized access to the Self-managed PostgreSQL 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 Self-managed PostgreSQL provides beyond the component you are moving. Out of scope: Custom extensions, tablespaces, replication topology, superuser-only settings and OS-level backups have no equivalent on the managed database.
2. Source step 1
   Take a logical backup with pg_dump -Fc as a role that can read all application objects.
3. Source step 2
   Check the major version, installed extensions, tablespaces and custom roles against the managed engine (PostgreSQL 16, no custom extensions verified).
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; 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/json-document-metadata).
7. Cut over
   Freeze writes with the user's go-ahead, take the final dump, restore, validate, redeploy with the managed DATABASE_URL, keep the source server 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.

Examples

• Express pattern fixture (destination)
  Verified destination basis: JSON document metadata.

Success Checks

• destination app responds on its public URL (expect: ample canary express patterns)
• json-document-metadata check from the destination example (expect: see the pattern fixture checks)
• data or object counts and checksums match the source (expect: operator comparison before cutover)

Limitations

• Documentation only: nothing is executed automatically and no execution binding is offered.
• No full source-product parity is claimed: Custom extensions, tablespaces, replication topology, superuser-only settings and OS-level backups have no equivalent on the managed database.
• 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
• 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

Evidence Summary

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

Last Verified At

• 2026-09-21T02:34:39Z

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.