# Easier forum migration to Discourse

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/easier-forum-migration-to-discourse/42143
**Category:** Feature
**Created:** [Abril 6, 2016, 7:13pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/easier-forum-migration-to-discourse/42143 "2016-04-06T19:13:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 10

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### Author: ![DeanMarkTaylor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/deanmarktaylor/32/102462_2.png) [@DeanMarkTaylor](https://meta.discourse.org/u/DeanMarkTaylor)
#### Post date: [Abril 8, 2016, 12:38pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/easier-forum-migration-to-discourse/42143/10 "2016-04-08T12:38:44Z")

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What goes though my head is:

A Discourse Import feature actually in Discourse that runs like this:

> What is the URL of your existing forum?
> 
> - [http://www.example.com/phpbb/](http://www.example.com/phpbb/)

> Checking website…  
> I can see you are running `phpBB 3.xxx`

> Just upload these two files to document root of your website:
> 
> - `discourse-import-bridge.php`
> - `discourse-import-bridge-key.php`

> When ready click I’ve Uploaded the Files

Obviously for PHP based forum site - which most are? (anyway another bridge could easily be implemented in any other language)

This would then run you though a few dialogs

> What categories would you like to import?
> 
> - General
> - Classifieds
> 
> Next

After confirming whatever details needed

> This will import XXXX topics, XXXXX posts and XXX users.
> 
> The import will run in the background and continue to synchronise from your existing forum into your new Discourse install.
> 
> Start Import

After selecting to start

> Import 32% complete
> 
> Importing at 30 posts per minute.  
> Estimated time until completion 4 hours.
> 
> Server health check: Good  
> Server last communicated with 30 seconds ago.

After all the data has been imported:

> Import 100% complete - continuing to synchronise new topics, posts and users.
> 
> Server health check: Good  
> Server last communicated with 2 minutes ago.

* * *

Where:

- `discourse-import-bridge-key.php` is contains some unique key specific to the Discourse instance allowed to access the server for extracting data for import. Probably downloadable from the Discourse instance.

- the `discourse-import-bridge.php` would provide an API:

- decrypt “Discourse Import Bridge API” HTTP API requests using the “key”.

- executing a basic health check on the server config, PHP version, max request size etc, version of the “Discourse Import Bridge API”.

- getting a list of files across the entire directory structure of the site

- database proxy - receiving batched database queries, compressing responses and returning them in a chunked manor to avoid web server limitations.

- downloading arbitrary files from file system, in compressed chunks.

- the importer running on the Discourse server could use the “Discourse Import Bridge API” provided to:

- request the URL of the site to import from the user

- make encrypted “Discourse Import Bridge API” requests

- run “health check” to ensure communication and server is “good”.

- make a file system request for list of files

- detect what type of forum installation (allowing the user to select if needed)

- detect location of config file

- read config file and identify DB location

- read the DB as needed.

- display prompts for any options specific to that importer (e.g. only import specific categories)

- execute continuous background synchronisation of forum data so switch over is less of an issue.

- notify and prompt user of synchronisation progress (sending emails if needed)

- should use exponential back-off for all requests to `discourse-import-bridge.php` to avoid issues with hosting providers.

This Discourse importer would really just have an API layer for making file system requests, db requests, this layer would be switched between:

- one version where “I have the DB and file system mounted locally”
- another version where “I’m using the Discourse Import Bridge”.

The reason for the “encryption” of the requests is that most sites will not have HTTPS/SSL/TLS requests will contain information that should be kept secret, e.g. DB password.

It would / should be noted somewhere to the user that using the “Discourse Import Bridge” could take much longer to complete.

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_[View the full topic](https://meta.discourse.org/t/easier-forum-migration-to-discourse/42143)._