Upgrades and Migrations

This guide covers the process for upgrading a Self-Managed Kindo installation to a new version.

Upgrade Process Overview

Kindo upgrades are performed by updating Helm chart versions and applying the new configuration. The general process is:

1. Review release notes — Check the changelog for breaking changes, new dependencies, or required configuration updates.

2. Back up your databases — Create snapshots of PostgreSQL, Redis, and any other stateful services before proceeding.

3. Update Helm chart versions — Pull the new chart versions from the Kindo registry.

4. Review values changes — Compare your existing Helm values files against the new chart defaults. New versions may introduce required values or deprecate existing ones.

5. Apply the upgrade — Run helm upgrade (or helmfile sync if using Helmfile) to deploy the new versions.

6. Run post-upgrade migrations — Some releases include database migrations that run automatically on startup. Verify they complete successfully by checking service logs.

7. Verify health — Confirm all services are running and healthy. Check the Kindo UI, API, and agent execution.

Pre-Upgrade Checklist

Before starting an upgrade:

Check	Command / Action
Database backups current	Verify PostgreSQL and Redis snapshots
Helm chart access	helm repo update to pull latest charts
Release notes reviewed	Check for breaking changes and new env vars
Maintenance window scheduled	Notify users of expected downtime
Rollback plan ready	Document current versions for quick revert

Rollback

If an upgrade causes issues:

1. Revert Helm charts — Run helm rollback to the previous release for each affected service.

2. Restore databases — If database migrations were applied and need reverting, restore from your pre-upgrade snapshots.

3. Verify — Confirm services are healthy on the previous version.

Caution

Database migrations are generally forward-only. If a new release includes schema changes, rolling back the application without restoring the database may cause errors. Always take database snapshots before upgrading.

Version Compatibility

• Kubernetes — Kindo requires Kubernetes 1.32+. Check release notes for any version ceiling.
• PostgreSQL — Kindo requires PostgreSQL 17+. Major PostgreSQL upgrades should be performed separately from Kindo upgrades.
• Helm — Kindo charts require Helm 3.12+.

Next Steps

• Infrastructure Requirements for minimum versions and specifications
• Installation Guide for initial deployment procedures
• Observability for monitoring upgrade health