Backups and restore

PostgreSQL is the source of truth. Meilisearch contains a derived recipe index that Mise can rebuild, so PostgreSQL is the critical backup target.

Create a logical backup

From the directory containing compose.yml:

docker compose exec -T postgres \
  pg_dump -U mise -d mise --format=custom > mise-$(date +%Y-%m-%d).dump

If you changed POSTGRES_USER or POSTGRES_DB, use those values in the command.

Store the resulting file away from the Mise host. A backup on the same disk is not protection against disk failure.

Verify a backup

At minimum, ask PostgreSQL to list its archive contents:

pg_restore --list mise-2026-09-13.dump > /dev/null

The strongest verification is a periodic restore into a temporary PostgreSQL instance followed by application-level checks.

Restore

Stop the application so no writes arrive during the restore:

docker compose stop mise
docker compose exec -T postgres dropdb -U mise --if-exists mise
docker compose exec -T postgres createdb -U mise mise
docker compose exec -T postgres pg_restore -U mise -d mise --clean --if-exists < mise.dump
docker compose start mise

Adjust names for custom PostgreSQL settings. Restarting Mise reconciles the search index from the restored database.

:::warning Practice the restore procedure before relying on it. A backup is only useful when it can be restored within the time your household or team can tolerate. :::

Recipe exports

The household recipe export is useful for portability and a second line of defense, but it is not a replacement for a database backup: accounts, plans, pantry, shopping, memberships, and settings live outside that export.