[[_export_import]]

== Export and Import

{{book.project.name}} has the ability export and import the entire database.
This can be especially useful if you want to migrate your whole {{book.project.name}} database from one environment to another
or migrate to different database (for example from MySQL to Oracle). Export and import
is triggered at server boot time  and it's parameters are past in via Java System properties.
Its important to note that because import and export happens at server startup, that no other actions should be taken on the server
or the database while this happens.

You can export/import your database either to: 

* Directory on local filesystem
* Single JSON file on your filesystem

When importing using the directory strategy, note that the files need to follow the naming convention specified below.
If you are importing files which were previously exported, the files already follow this convention. 

* {REALM_NAME}-realm.json, such as "acme-roadrunner-affairs-realm.json" for the realm named "acme-roadrunner-affairs"
* {REALM_NAME}-users-{INDEX}.json, such as "acme-roadrunner-affairs-users-0.json" for the first users file of the realm named "acme-roadrunner-affairs"        

If you export to a directory, you can also specify the number of users that will be stored in each JSON file.
So if you have very large amount of users in your database, you likely don't want to import them into single file as the file might be very big.

To export into unencrypted directory you can use: 

[source]
----

bin/standalone.sh -Dkeycloak.migration.action=export
-Dkeycloak.migration.provider=dir -Dkeycloak.migration.dir=<DIR TO EXPORT TO>
----            
And similarly for import just use `-Dkeycloak.migration.action=import` instead of `export` . 
To export into single JSON file you can use: 

[source]
----
bin/standalone.sh -Dkeycloak.migration.action=export
-Dkeycloak.migration.provider=singleFile -Dkeycloak.migration.file=<FILE TO EXPORT TO>
----        
Here's an example of importing: 

[source]
----
bin/standalone.sh -Dkeycloak.migration.action=import
-Dkeycloak.migration.provider=singleFile -Dkeycloak.migration.file=<FILE TO IMPORT>
-Dkeycloak.migration.strategy=OVERWRITE_EXISTING
----        

Other available options are: 

-Dkeycloak.migration.realmName::
  can be used if you want to export just one specified realm instead of all.
  If not specified, then all realms will be exported. 

-Dkeycloak.migration.usersExportStrategy::
  can be used to specify for Directory providers to specify where to import users.
  Possible values are:
  * DIFFERENT_FILES - Users will be exported into more different files according to maximum number of users per file. This is default value
  * SKIP - exporting of users will be skipped completely
  * REALM_FILE - All users will be exported to same file with realm (So file like "foo-realm.json" with both realm data and users)
  * SAME_FILE - All users will be exported to same file but different than realm (So file like "foo-realm.json" with realm data and "foo-users.json" with users)                        

-Dkeycloak.migration.usersPerFile::
  can be used to specify number of users per file (and also per DB transaction). It's 5000 by default.
  It's used only if usersExportStrategy is DIFFERENT_FILES 

-Dkeycloak.migration.strategy::
  is used during import.
  It can be used to specify how to proceed if realm with same name already exists in the database where you are going to import data.
  Possible values are:
  * IGNORE_EXISTING - Ignore importing if realm of this name already exists
  * OVERWRITE_EXISTING - Remove existing realm and import it again with new data from JSON file.
     If you want to fully migrate one environment to another and ensure that the new environment will contain same data
     like the old one, you can specify this.

When importing realm files that weren't exported before, the option `keycloak.import` can be used.
If more than one realm file needs to be imported, a comma separated list of file names can be specified.
This is more appropriate than the cases before, as this will happen only after the master realm has been initialized.
Examples: 

* -Dkeycloak.import=/tmp/realm1.json
* -Dkeycloak.import=/tmp/realm1.json,/tmp/realm2.json        

=== Admin console export/import

Import of most resources can be performed from the admin console.
Exporting resources will be supported in future versions. 

The files created during a "startup" export can be used to import from the admin UI.
This way, you can export from one realm and import to another realm.
Or, you can export from one server and import to another. 

WARNING: The admin console import allows you to "overwrite" resources if you choose.
Use this feature with caution, especially on a production system.