# Import from PostgreSQL

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for importing data from an existing PostgreSQL database into Prisma Postgres.

You can accomplish this migration in three steps:

1. Create a new Prisma Postgres database.
2. Export your existing data via `pg_dump`.
3. Import the previously exported data into Prisma Postgres via `pg_restore`.

In the third step, you will be using a [direct connection](/guides/database-connecting-to-your-database) to securely connect to your Prisma Postgres database to run `pg_restore`.

## [Prerequisites](#prerequisites)

- The connection URL to your existing PostgreSQL database
- A [Prisma Data Platform](https://console.prisma.io/?utm_source=docs\&utm_medium=content\&utm_content=%28index%29) account
- Node.js 18+ installed
- PostgreSQL CLI Tools (`pg_dump`, `pg_restore`) for creating and restoring backups

:::callout{intent="note"}
Make sure your PostgreSQL tools match the Prisma Postgres version

Prisma Postgres runs PostgreSQL 17. Your `pg_dump` and `pg_restore` tools need to be version 17 to ensure compatibility. You can check your version by running `pg_dump --version` or `pg_restore --version`.
:::

## [1. Create a new Prisma Postgres database](#1-create-a-new-prisma-postgres-database)

Follow these steps to create a new Prisma Postgres database:

1. Log in to [Prisma Data Platform](https://console.prisma.io/?utm_source=docs\&utm_medium=content\&utm_content=%28index%29) and open the Console.
2. In a [workspace](/guides/introduction-5-console-concepts#workspace) of your choice, click the **New project** button.
3. Type a name for your project in the **Name** field, e.g. **hello-ppg**.
4. In the **Prisma Postgres** section, click the **Get started** button.
5. In the **Region** dropdown, select the region that's closest to your current location, e.g. **US East (N. Virginia)**.
6. Click the **Create project** button.

Once your database is provisioned, obtain your direct connection string:

1. Navigate to your active Prisma Postgres instance.
2. Click the **Connection Strings** tab in the project's sidenav.
3. Click the **Create connection string** button.
4. In the popup, provide a **Name** for the connection string and click **Create**.
5. Copy the connection string starting with `postgres://`, this is your direct connection string.

Save the connection string, as you'll need it in step 3.

## [2. Export data from your existing database](#2-export-data-from-your-existing-database)

In this step, you're going to export the data from your existing database and store it in a `.bak` file on your local machine.

Make sure to have the connection URL for your existing database ready, it should be [structured](/guides/reference-6-v7-reference-connection-urls) like this:

```
postgresql://USER:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT/DATABASE
```

Expand below for provider-specific instructions that help you determine the right connection string:

- Make sure to select non-pooled connection string by switching off the **Connection pooling** toggle.
- The `sslmode` has to be set to `require` and appended to your Neon database URL for the command to work.
- The connection URL should look similar to this:

```
postgresql://USER:PASSWORD@YOUR-NEON-HOST/DATABASE?sslmode=require
```

- Use a database connection URL that uses [Supavisor session mode](https://supabase.com/docs/guides/database/connecting-to-postgres#supavisor-session-mode).
- The connection URL should look similar to this:

```
postgres://postgres.apbkobhfnmcqqzqeeqss:[YOUR-PASSWORD]@aws-0-ca-central-1.pooler.supabase.com:5432/postgres
```

Next, run the following command to export the data of your PostgreSQL database (replace the `__DATABASE_URL__` placeholder with your actual database connection URL):

```
pg_dump \

  -Fc \

  -v \

  -d __DATABASE_URL__ \

  -n public \

  -f db_dump.bak
```

Here's a quick overview of the CLI options that were used for this command:

- `-Fc`: Uses the custom format for backups, recommended for `pg_restore`
- `-v`: Runs `pg_dump` in verbose mode
- `-d`: Specifies the database connection string
- `-n`: Specifies the target PostgreSQL schema
- `-f`: Specifies the output name for the backup file

Running this command will create a backup file named `db_dump.bak` which you will use to restore the data into your Prisma Postgres database in the next step.

## [3. Import data into Prisma Postgres](#3-import-data-into-prisma-postgres)

Use your [direct connection string](/guides/database-connecting-to-your-database) to connect to your Prisma Postgres instance and import data via `pg_restore`.

Your direct connection string from step 1 should look like this:

```
postgres://USER:PASSWORD@db.prisma.io:5432/?sslmode=require
```

Use the backup file from **Step 2** to restore data into your Prisma Postgres database with `pg_restore` by running this command (replace `__USER__`, `__PASSWORD__` with the values from your direct connection string):

```
pg_restore \

  -h db.prisma.io \

  -p 5432 \

  -U __USER__ \

  -d postgres \

  -v \

  ./db_dump.bak \

&& echo "-complete-"
```

When prompted, enter the `__PASSWORD__` from your direct connection string.

You can also use the full connection string format:

```
pg_restore \

  -d "postgres://USER:PASSWORD@db.prisma.io:5432/postgres?sslmode=require" \

  -v \

  ./db_dump.bak \

&& echo "-complete-"
```

When the command completes, the data from your existing PostgreSQL database is in Prisma Postgres.

To validate that the import worked, you can use [Prisma Studio](/guides/guides-3-postgres-viewing-data#viewing-and-editing-data-in-prisma-studio). Either open it in the [Platform Console](https://console.prisma.io/?utm_source=docs\&utm_medium=content\&utm_content=%28index%29) by clicking the **Studio** tab in the left-hand sidenav in your project or run this command to launch Prisma Studio locally:

:::code-group
```title="bun"
bunx prisma studio
```

```bash title="pnpm"
pnpm prisma studio
```

```bash title="yarn"
yarn prisma studio
```

```bash title="npm"
npx prisma studio
```
:::

## [4. Update your application code to query Prisma Postgres](#4-update-your-application-code-to-query-prisma-postgres)

### [Scenario A: You are already using Prisma ORM](#scenario-a-you-are-already-using-prisma-orm)

If you're already using Prisma ORM, you need to update your database connection URL to point to your new Prisma Postgres instance.

Update the `DATABASE_URL` in your `.env` file to match your Prisma Postgres direct connection string from step 1:

```title=".env"
DATABASE_URL="postgres://USER:PASSWORD@db.prisma.io:5432/?sslmode=require"
```

Then, re-generate Prisma Client so that the updated environment variable takes effect:

:::code-group
```title="bun"
bunx prisma generate
```

```bash title="pnpm"
pnpm prisma generate
```

```bash title="yarn"
yarn prisma generate
```

```bash title="npm"
npx prisma generate
```
:::

Once this is done, you can run your application and it should work as before.

:::callout{intent="note"}
For a complete guide on setting up Prisma ORM with Prisma Postgres from scratch, including driver adapter configuration and best practices, see the [Prisma ORM with Prisma Postgres quickstart](/guides/prisma-orm-2-v7-prisma-orm-quickstart-prisma-postgres).
:::

### [Scenario B: You are not yet using Prisma ORM](#scenario-b-you-are-not-yet-using-prisma-orm)

If you are not yet using Prisma ORM, you'll need to go through the following steps to use Prisma Postgres from your application:

1. Install the Prisma CLI and other required dependencies in your project
2. Introspect the database to generate a Prisma schema
3. Generate Prisma Client
4. Update the queries in your application to use Prisma ORM

You can find the detailed step-by-step instructions for this process in this guide: [Add Prisma ORM to an existing project](/guides/prisma-orm-2-v7-prisma-orm-add-to-existing-project-prisma-postgres).

## Related pages

- [Authentication & Tools](./authentication-tools-index.md)
- [Build](./build-index.md)
- [Changelog](../changelog.md)
- [Concepts](./concepts-index.md)
- [Console commands](./console-commands-index.md)
- [Contract Authoring](./contract-authoring-index.md)
- [Core Concepts](./core-concepts-index.md)
- [Data Modeling](./data-modeling-index.md)
- [Database](./database-index.md)
- [DB commands](./db-commands-index.md)

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