docs / export

Logical export and import

Export is a logical snapshot (schema + committed rows). It is not a page-level backup and it is not PITR. Vector payloads are inlined; indexes are recreated on import.

bash

./nextsql export \
  --data-dir /var/lib/nextsql \
  --key-file /etc/nextsql/root.key \
  --out /exports/nextsql-2026-08-18

./nextsql import \
  --from /exports/nextsql-2026-08-18 \
  --data-dir /var/lib/nextsql-copy \
  --key-file /etc/nextsql/root.key

The destination is created if nextsql.db is missing, with a new identity under the same root. Existing dest tables with the same name fail closed (already_exists). Uncommitted writes are not exported.

An export is not valid until the built-in import-test succeeds (verified marker). --out must not already exist.

Use physical backup when you need page-level restore or PITR. Use export when you want a portable snapshot of committed rows.

Engine note: `docs/export.md`.