# Migrate an old Discourse install to Docker
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/migrate-an-old-discourse-install-to-docker/12439
**Category:** Self-Hosting
**Tags:** migrations, how-to
**Created:** [February 5, 2014, 1:24am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/migrate-an-old-discourse-install-to-docker/12439 "2014-02-05T01:24:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Discourse)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2014, 1:24am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/migrate-an-old-discourse-install-to-docker/12439/1 "2014-02-05T01:24:41Z")
> ℹ 2022.10.21 @pfaffman adds: If you are somehow using a non-docker installation in 2022 then this guide might help you. There is not much way to test it, but it should work.
### Kept for historical purposes
Deploying [Discourse on Docker](https://github.com/discourse/discourse_docker) is currently our recommended setup. It avoids many pitfalls installations have, such as misconfigured nginx, sub-optimal Ruby defaults and so on.
The Docker based setup ensures we are all on the same page when diagnosing installation issues and completely eradicates a class of support calls.
Today, all sites hosted by Discourse are on Docker.
This is a basic guide on how to move your current Discourse setup to a Docker based setup.
## Getting started
First, get a blank site with working email installed. Follow the guide at [GitHub - discourse/discourse\_docker: A Docker image for Discourse · GitHub](https://github.com/discourse/discourse_docker) and install a new, empty Discourse instance.
**Tips:**
- Bind the web to a different port than port 80, if you are on the same box. Eg:
- Be sure to enter your email in the developer email section, so you get admin:
- Make sure email is setup and working by visiting `/admin/email` and sending a test email.
- Make sure you have can enter your container `./launcher enter my_container` must work.
**If any of the above is skipped your migration will fail.**
At the end of this process you will have a working website. Carry on.
## Exporting and importing the old site
- Ensure you are running the absolute latest version of Discourse. We had bugs in the export code in the past, make sure you are on latest before attempting an export.
- On your current instance
- On your newly installed docker instance
- Change port binding so its on 80
- Rebuild container `./launcher rebuild app`
Yay. You are done.
> Last edited by @JammyDodger 2024-08-21T13:43:11Z
>
> > **Check document**
> >
> > Perform check on document:
---
### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2022, 10:28pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/migrate-an-old-discourse-install-to-docker/12439/27 "2022-11-21T22:28:21Z")