NextPress documentation

Back up and move your data

Open as markdown

The copies NextPress makes, how to export and import your data with the nextpress command, and what to keep before you move or uninstall.

On this page

NextPress makes or lets you make three kinds of copies:

CopyWho makes itWhat it is for
Database backupNextPress, before an upgrade changes the database, and before a reset or overrideGoing back to the database as it was
Export fileYou, with nextpress exportKeeping a copy of your data, or moving it to another install
Page fileYou, from the Pages screenMoving one page. See Move pages between sites

Database backups

  • Saved in the backups folder of the install, such as /opt/nextpress/backups/nextpress-db-20261025120000.sql.
  • Made with pg_dump, the standard PostgreSQL backup tool.
  • If the backup fails, the upgrade stops before it changes anything.
  • Before each upgrade, all but the three newest backups are removed.

NextPress does not restore a backup for you. Restoring one is a manual job on the server. Backups stay on the same server, so also keep an export somewhere else.

Export your data

  1. Sign in to the server and go to the folder where the file should be saved

  2. Run

    Shell
    nextpress export

  3. The file nextpress-export-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.json appears in the current folder

To include uploaded files such as pictures and videos, add --with-media-files. The file is then a .tar.gz:

Shell
nextpress export --with-media-files --out ~/nextpress-export.tar.gz

Export options:

OptionWhat it does
--users, --sites, --pages, --blogs, --posts, --comments, --media, --templates, --optionsExport only these kinds of data. With none, all of them are exported
--site <name>Export only one site, by name or address
--with-media-filesInclude the uploaded files
--out <path>Write to this file
--forceReplace an existing file. Without it, the export refuses to overwrite
Shell
nextpress export --users --posts --site example.com

The export is written to a temporary file first, so a failed export never damages an existing file.

Import an export

  1. Copy the export file to the server

  2. Run

    Shell
    nextpress import nextpress-export-20261025-120000.json

By default, the import replaces rows that already exist with the ones in the file. To keep existing rows and add only what is missing, use --mode skip:

Shell
nextpress import nextpress-export.tar.gz --posts --mode skip

The same entity options as the export choose what to import. The file must exist, be readable and not be empty. Export and import both need NextPress to be running.

Try an import on a second install before you rely on an export.

Before you move to a new server or uninstall

  1. Make an export with --with-media-files.
  2. Check the file exists and its size is what you expect.
  3. Copy it off the server.
  4. Keep a copy of the install's .env file somewhere safe. It holds the secrets of the install, including the one that protects saved AI keys.

Uninstalling removes the database, the uploaded files and the install folder. Only an export kept elsewhere can bring the content back.

Next steps