pgcopydb

Copy PostgreSQL databases with minimal downtime

pgcopydb copies a PostgreSQL database to a target server using logical replication and parallel workers. Designed for production migrations and version upgrades where pg_dump downtime is unacceptable.

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What pgcopydb does

Live database cloning with logical replication

pgcopydb copies a PostgreSQL database from source to target while the source remains online. It uses logical replication to keep the target in sync and only requires a short maintenance window for the final cutover.

Why it matters

Database migrations are complex and risky

pg_dump and pg_restore cause significant downtime on large databases
Binary-incompatible versions and cross-cloud moves rule out streaming replication
pgcopydb handles the full copy lifecycle with a short, predictable cutover window
Built for edge cases: large objects, sequences, indexes, and constraints

Typical use cases

Where pgcopydb fits

PostgreSQL major version upgrades with minimal downtime
Cloud-to-cloud or on-premise-to-cloud migrations
Creating read replicas across incompatible versions
Database cloning for staging and testing environments

Key capabilities

Built for production databases

Logical replication for live copy with change tracking
Parallel workers for table data, indexes, and constraints
Table and schema filtering
Large object support
Progress tracking and resume on failure

Current focus

Active maintenance areas

Current work focuses on logical replication performance, broader data type coverage, improved progress reporting, and PostgreSQL version compatibility across all supported major versions.

How maintenance works

Queue, SLA, quarterly releases

Work is prioritized through a queue. Supported users receive priority handling, with defined response times. Fixes and improvements are grouped and shipped in quarterly releases.

See support options

Get pgcopydb

Open source and available now

pgcopydb is open source, actively developed, and available for Linux. Packages are available for Debian, Ubuntu, and RPM-based distributions.

GitHub Documentation

Support pgcopydb

Keep database copies reliable

If pgcopydb is part of your migration or upgrade workflow, supporting its maintenance ensures faster fixes, continued compatibility, and long-term reliability when it matters most.

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