How to correctly restore the PostgreSQL database for self-hosted Langfuse?

[apocalypsation1]

Describe your question

Hi team,

I’m setting up backups for a self-hosted Langfuse deployment and I have a question about the PostgreSQL restore workflow.

Based on the documentation, I’m performing:

1. Logical backups using pg_dump
2. (Optional) Kubernetes VolumeSnapshot backups of the Postgres PVC

Could you clarify the recommended way to restore the PostgreSQL database for Langfuse? Specifically:

• If I have a .sql file from pg_dump, what is the correct procedure to restore it into the Langfuse Postgres instance?
• Are there any Langfuse-specific steps required after restoring the database?
• For users relying on a PVC VolumeSnapshot, is there a preferred method or recommendation to safely restore the PVC for Postgres?

Any guidance or best practices would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Langfuse Cloud or Self-Hosted?

Self-Hosted

If Self-Hosted

v3.66.1

If Langfuse Cloud

No response

SDK and integration versions

No response

Pre-Submission Checklist

• I have checked for existing issues/discussions and consulted Langfuse AI.

[inkeep-ai-assistant[bot]]

The documentation covers backup strategies but doesn't provide explicit step-by-step restore procedures for PostgreSQL(1).

For restoring from pg_dump, you would typically use standard PostgreSQL restore commands. However, the sources don't detail Langfuse-specific restore steps.

Key considerations based on the documentation:

1. Managed PostgreSQL services are strongly recommended for production deployments as they provide automatic backups and restore capabilities(1).

2. Database migrations: Langfuse uses Prisma for database migrations. The LANGFUSE_AUTO_POSTGRES_MIGRATION_DISABLED environment variable controls automatic migrations (default is false)(2). After restoring a database, migrations should run automatically on startup unless disabled.

3. Migration issues: If you encounter migration problems after a restore, the sources indicate that custom types/enums in PostgreSQL can persist and cause issues(3). You may need to ensure a completely clean state before restoring.

4. Timezone requirement: Langfuse expects PostgreSQL to default to UTC. Settings that overwrite the UTC default are not supported and may lead to unexpected behavior(4).

For VolumeSnapshot restores, the backup documentation shows creating snapshots(1) but doesn't detail the restore process. This would typically follow your Kubernetes provider's standard PVC restoration workflow.

Recommendation: Since the documentation doesn't provide complete restore procedures, I'd suggest reaching out to Langfuse support for detailed guidance on your specific deployment scenario, especially regarding any Langfuse-specific post-restore steps.

📚 Sources:

1. Backup Strategies
2. Deployment Guide (v2)
3. bug: cannot recover from failed migrations loop in a clean Langfuse deployment
4. Postgres Database

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[jannikmaierhoefer]

Hi @apocalypsation1, was inkeep able to help you here?