{"id":1178,"date":"2021-04-07T15:44:25","date_gmt":"2021-04-07T12:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/?p=1178"},"modified":"2025-11-27T11:46:29","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T09:46:29","slug":"how-to-import-and-export-postgresql-databases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/how-to-import-and-export-postgresql-databases\/","title":{"rendered":"Import Export PostgreSQL Database Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Importing and exporting data from PostgreSQL databases can be critical when you’re trying to move your website to a new server or when you’re trying to back it up. <\/b>Doing it is not that difficult.
\nSo, let\u2019s get started.<\/span><\/p>\n

Exporting PostgreSQL Databases<\/b><\/h2>\n

Exporting your Postgres database helps you download your data for safe-keeping or transfer it to another server. You could export the database in two ways.<\/span><\/p>\n

And, here\u2019s how.<\/span><\/p>\n

Method 1: via The Command Line<\/b><\/h3>\n

You can export a Postgres database via the command line<\/b> by running the <\/span>pg_dump<\/span><\/i> command. Follow these steps to get started.<\/span><\/p>\n

Install Postgres<\/span><\/a> on your local computer to access your Postgres databases remotely. Of course, ensure to install only the latest stable version.<\/span><\/p>\n

Open the command line to run tasks on your Postgres database. But if you\u2019ve physical access to the server,<\/span> open a DOS or terminal window<\/b> to access the command line.<\/span><\/p>\n

Run this command to export any database.<\/span><\/p>\n

pg_dump -U username dbname > dbbackup.pgsql<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll need to replace the <\/span>username<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>dbname,<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>dbbackup.pgsql<\/span><\/i> placeholders with the account username, database name, and the desired output file\u2019s name, respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

Type your password when prompted to run the database export.<\/span><\/p>\n

The above command means you want <\/span>to export data from <\/span>a database called <\/b>dbname<\/i><\/b> on a local PostgreSQL server into a file called <\/b>dbbackup.pgsql.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

You can use FTP to download the file.<\/p>\n

Method 2: via phpPgAdmin<\/b><\/h3>\n

Managing Postgres databases via the phpPgAdmin is much easier<\/b> since you won\u2019t need to use the command-line.<\/p>\n

phpPgAdmin is Postgres\u2019 equivalent for MySQL\u2019s phpMyAdmin, and both allow users to manage their databases from a web interface.<\/p>\n

First, make sure phpPgAdmin is installed on your server. If it’s not, you might need to install it yourself, which requires root access.<\/p>\n

With phpPgAdmin installed, you can log into its web interface and follow the steps below to export and download the data.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Locate the database you intend to export.<\/li>\n
  • Click Export<\/b> on the top menu bar.<\/li>\n
  • For the export options, select SQL<\/b> as the file format and click on Download.<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Click on Export<\/b> to run the task.<\/li>\n
  • Select the location to save the file and click on Save<\/b>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Importing PostgreSQL Databases<\/b><\/h2>\n

    The Postgres import feature allows users to restore backed-up files, add new files to a Postgres database or transfer a database to a new server.<\/p>\n

    You can run the import tasks in two ways. Let\u2019s explore them.<\/p>\n

    Method 1: via The Command Line<\/b><\/h3>\n

    You can import files to\u00a0 Postgres via the command line using the psql program. Follow these steps to get started.<\/b><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Here, we\u2019re assuming you saved the file as dbbackup.pgsql<\/i><\/b>.<\/b><\/li>\n
    • To import this file, transfer it to your server using FTP, SCM or any file transfer protocol.<\/li>\n
    • Open the psql command line and run this command.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      psql -U username dbname < dbbackup.pgsql<\/i><\/p>\n

      Replace the username<\/i> and dbname<\/i> placeholders with your username and the database name you want to import the file into, respectively.<\/p>\n

      Method 2: via phpPgAdmin<\/b><\/h3>\n

      Importing files via phpPgAdmin makes it much more manageable. Follow these steps to get started.<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Log in to your phpPgAdmin web console.<\/li>\n
      • Locate the database you intend to import files into and click on it.<\/li>\n
      • Click on SQL<\/b> on the top menu bar.<\/li>\n
      • Click Choose File<\/b> and select the file you want to import.<\/li>\n
      • Click Execute<\/b> to run the task.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Importing and exporting data from PostgreSQL databases can be critical when you’re trying to move your website to a new server or when you’re trying to back it up. Doing it is not that difficult. So, let\u2019s get started. Exporting PostgreSQL Databases Exporting your Postgres database helps you download your data for safe-keeping or transfer […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"Import Export PostgreSQL Database Guide | ScalaHosting KB","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-web-hosting"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1178","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1178"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1178\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5844,"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1178\/revisions\/5844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}