The planned database migration for the Potato Energy project is complete. The transition was performed without data loss and with minimal downtime.

What changed

ServiceBeforeAfterReason
AutheliaPostgreSQL 15.xPostgreSQL 18.xRequired for new authentication features and improved security
MastodonPostgreSQL 15.xPostgreSQL 18.xSupport for modern ActivityPub versions and better federation performance
NextcloudPostgreSQL 15.xPostgreSQL 17.xStable branch with long-term support and compatibility with current plugins

💡 PostgreSQL 18 was released on September 25, 2025. It brings improved I/O performance, enhanced partitioning capabilities, and an updated query planner.

How the migration was performed

  1. Logical backup — pg_dumpall for all databases
  2. Physical volume archive — a safety copy of raw data
  3. Deployment of new containers — with updated images
  4. Data restoration — psql < pg_dumpall.sql
  5. Verification — checking versions, paths, and table integrity

The full process is described in the technical article: PostgreSQL in Docker: Major Version Migration Without Data Loss