Updating CKAN

Updating extensions

CKAN extensions (and CKAN itself) are downloaded into the server using git, a distributed version control system, and, so far, all extensions are hosted on github.

This means that there is a central repository for each extension (e.g. harvest extension) where developers store and update the source code, and from where the users can download it.

When an extension is installed from github, it includes all the latest updates that have been pushed by the devs into the repository. After some time it is possible that the repository on github receives some updates.

In order for the installed version to be kept in synch, such updates should be pulled from the repo into the server copy.

All the extensions that have been installed using the command

git clone https://github.com/YOUR_EXTENSION.git

can be updated with the following procedure:

• Login as user ckan.

• Enter the extension you need to update: e.g.:

  cd /usr/lib/ckan/default/ckanext-geonetwork
  

• Pull the updates

  git pull
  

• Restart the service as user root

  systemctl stop supervisord
  systemctl start supervisord
  

Hint

You may want to take a backup of the extension dir before upgrading.

Even if all the changes are versioned and you can rollback to any previous version you wish, you may be more confident using cp mv and tar rather than git.