open source

How to Migrate From Ghost 1.x.x to 3.x.x

Joel Tejeda

Jan 11, 2021 • 6 min read

The Ghost Version 1.x.x can't be updated automatically anymore. Therefore, it needs to install the lastest version of Ghost and migrate all the old data to the new Version to keep getting updates. This tutorial will help to achieve this

Make a Backup

Always take a backup of everything you will be modying. In this Case, The Ghost Directory.

2. Export your content

From your Old Ghost blog use the export function to get a JSON export of your Posts. (NO Themes or Images).

Click Labs > Export your content > Export

3. Export Your Themes

From Your Old Ghost Blog use the download button to backup your Theme and Go to https://gscan.ghost.org/ to check if the theme will have compatibility issues with the new Update before upgrading. (if you are using only the default theme, casper, dont worry).

4. Export the Images

Backup the content folder manually. The Images are found in the Ghost Directory > Content Folder.

Usually /var/www/Ghost_directorty/content

Installing Ghost on Ubuntu

Updating Packages

# Update package lists
sudo apt-get update

# Update installed packages
sudo apt-get upgrade

Installing Yarn

curl -sS https://dl.yarnpkg.com/debian/pubkey.gpg | sudo apt-key add -
echo "deb https://dl.yarnpkg.com/debian/ stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/yarn.list

Installing My SQL

# Install MySQL
sudo apt-get install mysql-server

MySQL on Ubuntu 18.04 or 20.04

# To set a password, run
sudo mysql

# Now update your user with this command
# Replace 'password' with your password, but keep the quote marks!
ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'password';

# Then exit MySQL
quit

Installing Node.js

# Add the NodeSource APT repository for Node 12
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_12.x | sudo -E bash

# Install Node.js
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

Installing Ghost-CLI

sudo npm install ghost-cli@latest -g

Create a Directory

# Create directory: Change `sitename` to whatever you like
sudo mkdir -p /var/www/sitename

# Set directory owner: Replace <user> with the name of your user
sudo chown <user>:<user> /var/www/sitename

# Set the correct permissions
sudo chmod 775 /var/www/sitename

# Then navigate into it
cd /var/www/sitename

Install Apache2

sudo apt-get install apache2
sudo ufw allow 'Apache'

apt-get install -y libapache2-mod-proxy-html libxml2-dev

Configuring Apache2 to reverse proxy

install the required Modules:

a2enmod proxy
a2enmod proxy_http
a2enmod proxy_ajp
a2enmod rewrite
a2enmod deflate
a2enmod headers
a2enmod proxy_balancer
a2enmod proxy_connect
a2enmod proxy_html

Setting Up the Proxy Configuration

Disable the default configuration

a2dissite 000-default

The Directory is /etc/apache2/sites-avaliable/

Create a Directory for Ghost

nano /etc/apache2/sites-availiable/ghost_Config_name.conf

The .Conf file should have these to configure HTTP and HTTPS:

<IfModule mod_ssl.c>
<VirtualHost *:443>
# The ServerName directive sets the request scheme, hostname and port that 
# the server uses to identify itself. This is used when creating # redirection URLs. In the context of virtual hosts, the ServerName 
# specifies what hostname must appear in the request's Host: header to # match this virtual host. For the default virtual host (this file) this 
# value is not decisive as it is used as a last resort host regardless.
# However, you must set it for any further virtual host explicitly. 

RequestHeader set X-Forwarded-Proto "https" ServerName <The Server Address> ServerAlias <www.The Server Address>
 
    # Available loglevels: trace8, ..., trace1, debug, info, notice, warn,
    # error, crit, alert, emerg.
    # It is also possible to configure the loglevel for particular
    # modules, e.g.
    # LogLevel info ssl:warn

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined

   # For most configuration files from conf-available/, which are
   # enabled or disabled at a global level, it is possible to
   # include a line for only one particular virtual host. 
        SSLEngine On
        SSLProtocol ALL -SSLv2
 		SSLCipherSuite HIGH:MEDIUM:!aNULL:!MD5:!SEED:!IDEA
        
        #Specify the Path to the Certificate
        
        SSLCertificateFile /Location/of/certificate/fullchain.pem
        SSLCertificateKeyFile /Location/of/certificate/privkey.pem

        <Location "/">
                ProxyPreserveHost On
                ProxyPass http://127.0.0.1:2368/
                ProxyPassReverse http://127.0.0.1:2368/
        </Location>
</VirtualHost>
</IfModule>
<IfModule mod_ssl.c>


<VirtualHost *:80>
# The ServerName directive sets the request scheme, hostname and port that
# the server uses to identify itself. This is used when creating
# redirection URLs. In the context of virtual hosts, the ServerName
# specifies what hostname must appear in the request's Host: header to
# match this virtual host. For the default virtual host (this file) this
# value is not decisive as it is used as a last resort host regardless.
# However, you must set it for any further virtual host explicitly.
        ServerName <The Server Address>
        ServerAlias <www.The Server Address>
        ProxyRequests Off
        ProxyPass / http://127.0.0.1:2368/
        ProxyPassReverse / http://127.0.0.1:2368/
        ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
        CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
RewriteEngine on
#RewriteCond %{SERVER_NAME} =www.$host [OR]
RewriteCond %{SERVER_NAME} =<The Server Address>
RewriteRule ^ https://%{SERVER_NAME}%{REQUEST_URI} [END,NE,R=permanent]
</VirtualHost>
</IfModule>

Enable virtual Host File