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PostgreSQL Backup, Restore, and Django Connection Setup

· 3 min read

This document provides a comprehensive guide on backing up PostgreSQL from AWS RDS, restoring it into a Docker container, and connecting it to a Django application.

1. Take PostgreSQL Database Dump​

Step 1: Install PostgreSQL Tools (if needed)​

brew install postgresql

Step 2: Create Database Backup Using pg_dump​

pg_dump -h <AWS_RDS_ENDPOINT> -U <DB_USERNAME> -d <DB_NAME> -p 5432 -F c -b -v -f db_dump.backup

Example:

pg_dump -h rezio-staging.cfwuacqgqc0d.me-central-1.rds.amazonaws.com -U aketai -d rezio_staging -p 5432 -F c -b -v -f rezio_staging.backup

Options Explained:​

  • -h: AWS RDS endpoint
  • -U: Database username
  • -d: Database name
  • -p: Database port (usually 5432)
  • -F c: Format as custom backup
  • -b: Include blobs
  • -v: Verbose mode
  • -f: Output file name

2. Restore the Database in Docker​

Step 1: Run PostgreSQL in Docker​

docker run --name postgres_local -e POSTGRES_USER=postgres -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=postgres -e POSTGRES_DB=rezio_staging_local -p 5432:5432 -d postgres:16.6

Step 2: Copy the Backup to the Docker Container​

docker cp db_dump.backup postgres_local:/db_dump.backup

Step 3: Restore the Backup​

docker exec -it postgres_local bash
pg_restore -U postgres -d rezio_staging_local -v /db_dump.backup

Step 4: Verify the Restore​

psql -U postgres -d rezio_staging_local
\dt
SELECT * FROM user_user LIMIT 5;

3. Connect PostgreSQL to Django App​

Step 1: Update Django settings.py​

DATABASES = {
    'default': {
        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql',
        'NAME': 'rezio_staging_local',   # Docker DB name
        'USER': 'postgres',               # Docker username
        'PASSWORD': 'postgres',           # Docker password
        'HOST': 'localhost',              # Docker host
        'PORT': '5432',                   # Docker port
    }
}

Step 2: Apply Django Migrations​

python manage.py makemigrations
python manage.py migrate

Step 3: Test the Connection​

python manage.py runserver

Access: http://localhost:8000

4. Troubleshooting & Additional Commands​

Check Docker Container Status​

docker ps

Check PostgreSQL Logs​

docker logs postgres_local

Manually Test PostgreSQL Connection​

psql -h localhost -U postgres -d rezio_staging_local

Inspect Docker Network​

docker network inspect bridge

Check Django Database Shell​

python manage.py dbshell

Recreate Docker Container (if needed)​

docker stop postgres_local && docker rm postgres_local

By following these steps, you can successfully take a database dump from AWS RDS, restore it in Docker, and connect it to a Django application for local development and testing.