Most of the time, upgrading Kanboard to a newer version is seamless. The process can be summarized as simply copying your data folder to the new Kanboard folder. Kanboard will automatically run database migrations for you.

Important Steps Before Updating

• Always make a backup of your data before upgrading.
• Verify that your backup is functional.
• Read the ChangeLog and check for breaking changes.
• Stop the worker if you are using it.
• Put the web server in maintenance mode to prevent users from accessing the software during the upgrade.
• Flush all user sessions (truncate the sessions table in the database).

From the Archive (Stable Version)

1. Decompress the new archive.
2. Copy the data folder into the newly uncompressed directory.
3. Copy your custom config.php file, if applicable.
4. If you have installed plugins, ensure you use their latest versions.
5. Verify that the data directory is writable by your web server user.
6. Modify .htaccess if needed (e.g., to enforce SSL).
7. Test the installation.
8. Remove your old Kanboard directory.

From the Repository (Development Version)

1. Run git pull.
2. Log in and verify that everything is functioning correctly.

• This method installs the current development version. Use it at your own risk.
• Do not update the software blindly without checking the ChangeLog.

Running SQL Migrations Manually

By default, SQL migrations are executed automatically. The schema version is checked at each request. This ensures that when you upgrade Kanboard, the database schema is updated for you. However, this method is not perfect.

• Ensure only one process accesses the database while running migrations.
• Put your Kanboard instance in “maintenance mode” to prevent users from accessing the software while altering the database schema.

To run database migrations manually, set the parameter DB_RUN_MIGRATIONS to false in your config file.

When upgrading Kanboard, run this command:

./cli db:migrate