What is a dump?

A dump in Meilisearch is a compressed file that includes all your indexes, documents, and settings in an unprocessed, raw format. It's not a direct replica of your database but rather serves as a blueprint for recreating an identical dataset.

Dumps are useful for two main purposes: they allow you to recover your database after updating Meilisearch, and they enable you to duplicate your database across different Meilisearch instances, regardless of version differences. Read more in the documentation.

How to create a dump?

Currently, dumps can be created only with the open-source version of Meilisearch, as the cloud version automatically manages zero-downtime updates.

Use the /dumps route to initiate the creation of database dumps. These dumps are saved as .dump files, suitable for restoring Meilisearch data or migrating between versions. Upon triggering, the system prioritizes dump creation tasks. Once completed, the dump is saved in the dump directory (defaults to dumps/), which will be created if it doesn’t already exist.

How to import a dump?

Using SDKs or the API

To import dumps programmatically using the API or one of our SDKs, read the dedicated documentation.

Using Meilisearch Cloud

1. Creating a project

Before importing a dump, you must first create a new project. Please note that it's not possible to import a dump into an existing project.

👉 If you're unfamiliar with creating a dump, you can learn how in the documentation's dedicated section.

Meilisearch dashboard with buttons to create a new project
Meilisearch dashboard with buttons to create a new project

2. Importing a dump

Once you click the button to create a new project, you will be asked to provide the project information.

Enter the required details for your project, including the project name and the region where it will be hosted.

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Form to create a new project with a button to import a dump.

Click the Upload dump button and select the desired dump file.

👉 The default dumps folder is named dumps, located in the same directory as your Meilisearch binary, unless you specified a different directory when launching your Meilisearch instance.

Click the Create project button to proceed.

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Form to create a new project with the dump file name next to the button to import a dump

3. Accessing your indexes

After a few seconds, you'll see a message notifying you that your project is being created. Click the Go to the index list button to view and manage your indexes.

Project creation in progress message with buttons to either close the message or go to the index list
Project creation in progress message with buttons to either close the message or go to the index list

You can now manage your project and start searching.

Meilisearch dashboard with the list of indexes.
Meilisearch dashboard with the list of indexes

And that's it! You've successfully imported a dump into your new Meilisearch Cloud project 🎉