In today’s data-driven world, the backbone of most business applications is database management systems (DBMS). SQLite is a popular choice for individual applications due to its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, but it falls short when it comes to sharing data across multiple applications or users. To bypass this important limitation, many companies migrate their SQLite databases to more robust DBMS, such as PostgreSQL. In this article, we will discuss the tips for converting an SQLite database into PostgreSQL format.
One of the most straightforward techniques for migrating SQLite data to PostgreSQL is to export the source database into an intermediate CSV format and then import it into PostgreSQL. The following commands are used to export data from SQLite databases into CSV format:
sqlite> .headers on
sqlite> .mode csv
sqlite> .output data.csv
sqlite> SELECT * FROM customers;
sqlite> .quit
The resulting CSV file can then be imported into PostgreSQL using the pgloader tool, which automates the process of data migration. However, there are some nuances requiring special attention: convert specific types like BLOB into BYTEA and datetime into timestamp, handle properly different means of escaping strings.
More efficient approach to SQLite to PostgreSQL database migration would be to use commercial software that can automates overall conversion process with a few clicks of the mouse. One of these advanced tool providing the required functionality for high efficient database migration is the SQLite to PostgreSQL converter. This product supports all modern versions of PostgreSQL servers running on Linux/Unix and Windows as well as DBaaS variations (Heroku, Azure, Amazon RDS) and allows the modification of resulting table structure during migration.
Regardless of what method has been chosen, it is crucial to verify that migration result is correct before releasing the target database in production. Here is the checklist of steps to be done during the migration process:
- Firstly, plan the migration carefully. This phase includes selecting the most appropriate tools and frameworks to automate the migration procedure and determining the order in which to migrate the data.
- Secondly, test the migration on a small dataset. This step helps to diagnose and fix any problems that may arise before migrating the entire database.
- Thirdly, make a backup of the original database before starting the migration. This is probably the most important step that help to ensure the original data is not lost in case of any issues or unexpected behavior of migration tools.
- Fourthly, monitor the migration process closely. This step is dedicated to monitoring the performance of the database and ensuring that the data is accurate after the conversion is completed.
- Lastly, document the migration process. On this step all migration actions must be recorded as well as any issues encountered, and how they were resolved.
Visit official site of the vendor company to learn more about SQLite to PostgreSQL converter.
