# Database Migrations
-This page describes database migrations necessary to update existing databases
-to newer versions of Nominatim.
+Since version 3.7.0 Nominatim offers automatic migrations. Please follow
+the following steps:
-SQL statements should be executed from the PostgreSQL commandline. Execute
-`psql nominatim` to enter command line mode.
+* stop any updates that are potentially running
+* update Nominatim to the newer version
+* go to your project directory and run `nominatim admin --migrate`
+* (optionally) restart updates
-## 3.6.0 -> master
+Below you find additional migrations and hints about other structural and
+breaking changes. **Please read them before running the migration.**
-### Status table contains now time zone information
+!!! note
+ If you are migrating from a version <3.6, then you still have to follow
+ the manual migration steps up to 3.6.
-The `import_status` table has been changed to include timezone information
-with the time stamp. You need to alter an existing table before running
-any replication functions with:
+## 3.6.0 -> 3.7.0
-```sql
-ALTER TABLE import_status ALTER COLUMN lastimportdate TYPE timestamp with time zone;
-```
+### New format and name of configuration file
+
+The configuration for an import is now saved in a `.env` file in the project
+directory. This file follows the dotenv format. For more information, see
+the [installation chapter](Import.md#configuration-setup-in-env).
+
+To migrate to the new system, create a new project directory, add the `.env`
+file and port your custom configuration from `settings/local.php`. Most
+settings are named similar and only have received a `NOMINATIM_` prefix.
+Use the default settings in `settings/env.defaults` as a reference.
### New location for data files
`./utils/query.php` no longer exists in its old form. `nominatim search`
provides a replacement but returns different output.
+### Switch to normalized house numbers
+
+The housenumber column in the placex table uses now normalized version.
+The automatic migration step will convert the column but this may take a
+very long time. It is advisable to take the machine offline while doing that.
+
## 3.5.0 -> 3.6.0
### Change of layout of search_name_* tables
./utils/setup.php --setup-website
```
+### Update SQL code
+
+To update the SQL code to the leatest version run:
+
+```
+./utils/setup.php --create-functions --enable-diff-updates --create-partition-functions
+```
+
## 3.4.0 -> 3.5.0
### New Wikipedia/Wikidata importance tables