Updates

How to apply a new Fchat release without losing data.

Before you update

Upgrade steps

1. Download the new ZIP from your CodeCanyon downloads page.
2. Back up Postgres + MinIO (see previous chapter).
3. Extract the new ZIP next to your current install: fchat-new/.
4. Copy your existing .env and storage/ into fchat-new/.
5. Switch directories: mv fchat fchat-old && mv fchat-new fchat && cd fchat.
6. Rebuild and run migrations:
   bash

   docker compose build --no-cache
   docker compose up -d
   docker compose exec app php artisan migrate --force
   docker compose exec app php artisan tenants:migrate --force
   docker compose exec app php artisan config:clear
   docker compose exec app php artisan translations:sync

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7. Verify the platform still loads. If anything is wrong, restore the backup and contact support.

Tenant migrations

Tenant databases follow their own migration directory (database/migrations/tenant/). The command tenants:migrate iterates every tenant and applies pending migrations. Safe to re-run.

Zero downtime (advanced)

For paying tenants, use a blue/green pattern:

1. Provision a second VPS, restore the latest DB and storage backup.
2. Apply the upgrade on the second VPS, verify thoroughly.
3. Flip the DNS A record to the new VPS IP.
4. Once DNS has propagated, decommission the old VPS.

Rollback

If the upgrade goes wrong:

1. Switch directories back: mv fchat fchat-broken && mv fchat-old fchat.
2. Restore the pre-upgrade DB dump.
3. docker compose up -d.