Migrating from Django to Go

This guide walks through migrating an existing Django-based Patchwork installation to Patchwork 4.0.

Important

The export tool requires a patchwork 3.x database schema or later (Django migration 0042+). If you are running an older version, upgrade your Django installation to the latest 3.x first, then proceed with the migration.

Overview

Patchwork 4.0 is a complete rewrite in Go. The deployment model is fundamentally different: a single pw binary replaces Django, gunicorn/uwsgi, virtualenvs, and management commands.

The database schema is similar but not identical, which is why data must be exported and re-imported rather than used in place.

All 3.x schema variations are handled automatically (missing columns in older releases get sensible defaults, and tables added after 3.2 are skipped if absent). Databases with non-standard customizations (extra columns or additional tables) should also work (to some extent): the export procedure only reads known columns and silently ignores everything else.

Command Mapping

Django (old)	Go (new)
`manage.py createsuperuser`	`pw admin user create --admin`
`manage.py migrate`	`pw db sync`
`manage.py parsemail`	`pw ingress --stdin`
`manage.py parsearchive`	`pw ingress --mbox`
`manage.py cron`	`pw admin gc`
`manage.py dumparchive`	no equivalent
Django admin panel (`/admin`)	`pw admin` subcommands
`production.py` settings	`patchwork.toml`
gunicorn/uwsgi + nginx	`pw http` + nginx
XML-RPC API	removed, use REST API
`/etc/aliases` + `parsemail.sh`	postfix transport maps to `pw ingress`

Configuration Mapping

Django setting	TOML equivalent
`DATABASES['default']`	`[database] url`
`NOTIFICATION_FROM_EMAIL`	`[smtp] from`
`DEFAULT_ITEMS_PER_PAGE`	built-in default (30)
`ENABLE_REST_API`	always enabled
`ENABLE_XMLRPC`	removed
`FORCE_HTTPS_LINKS`	set `[http] base-url` with `https://`

Migration Procedure

1. Back up your existing Django database

$ pg_dump patchwork > patchwork-django-backup.sql

2. Install the `pw` binary

Build from source or download a release:

$ make
$ sudo make install

3. Create the configuration file

Generate a template and edit it:

$ pw config > /etc/patchwork.toml

Point [database] url at a new, empty database:

[database]
url = "postgres://patchwork:secret@localhost/patchwork_v4"

4. Initialize the new database

$ pw db sync

This creates the 4.0 schema and seeds default states and tags.

5. Export data from the old database

Run pw db export against the old Django database. This reads the Django 3.2 schema and produces SQL that is compatible with the 4.0 schema:

$ pw --database-url "postgres://patchwork:secret@localhost/patchwork" \
     db export > patchwork-data.sql

6. Import data into the new database

$ pw db import < patchwork-data.sql

7. Set up systemd services

Enable and start the services:

$ sudo systemctl enable --now pw-http pw-ingress

8. Update Postfix

Replace the old aliases-based setup with transport maps.

Remove from /etc/aliases:

patchwork: "|/opt/patchwork/patchwork/bin/parsemail.sh"

Add to /etc/postfix/main.cf:

transport_maps = lmdb:/etc/postfix/transport

Create /etc/postfix/transport:

lists.example.com    smtp:127.0.0.1:2525

Rebuild and reload:

$ sudo postmap /etc/postfix/transport
$ sudo systemctl reload postfix

9. Update nginx

Replace the gunicorn/uwsgi upstream with the pw http server:

location / {
    proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8080;
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
}

10. Verify and switch over

Check the web interface is accessible.
Verify the REST API returns data: curl https://patchwork.example.com/api/
Send a test email to confirm pw ingress processes it.
Decommission the old Django installation.

Existing Credentials

User passwords are stored using Django’s PBKDF2-SHA256 format. The Go version reads and verifies passwords in the same format, so all existing user accounts and API tokens continue to work without any action.