New platform migration program

# Timeline

The official migration process is planned to be done gradually over the coming months. It will start when the new platform is fully launched (out of beta), which marks stability and feature parity.

Apps move in batches. A first pilot wave is planned to start in Autumn of 2026, with further waves following along. We plan to start with newer Universal Apps, mostly in the US region.

We plan to complete the migration process in 2027 and provide a mostly seamless transition for all our customers.

# Communication

Ahead of each batch, affected customers receive an individual e-mail laying out the plan with a scheduled time frame.

The first migration batches are going to be opt-out: an app is included in its wave unless the owner asks to hold off.

If possible, we will move all customer's apps together in one batch, so that all apps stay together and billing switches over from old to new (see below).

# Don't fear changes

While we designed the new platform to look and feel like the old one, it also introduced some new concepts. It will take a bit of getting used to, but we believe the benefits outweigh the initial learning curve - massively. So far, feedback from our customers is very positive.

# 1 - Account migration (planned)

Accounts will be created on the new platform, matching the existing ones, so identity and billing carry over first. No running app is affected at this stage.

The data structure will be mapped to the new platform.

• Companies -> teams
• Billing Contacts -> payment methods
• Apps have environments now (at least one)

See changes for all the details.

• dash.fortrabbit.com - new platform dashboard
• dashboard.fortrabbit.com - old platform dashboard

It is planned that login will work seamlessly on both platforms. Maybe it is required to set a new password for the new platform.

It is also planned that the billing credentials will be copied to the new platform.

# 2 - App migration (planned)

Apps follow once accounts are in place. The following steps are going to be taken by fortrabbit to migrate an app:

1. Apps, environments and domains pre-created and pre-configured.
2. Code, files, database are copied over (old to new).
3. Short time for review.
4. DNS switch (see below).
5. Old App deleted shortly after (a couple of days).

# Seamless DNS switch (planned)

To start serving traffic without downtime and without interaction by the customer, the DNS switch will be performed by fortrabbit.

We will introduce a DNS hop from the old CNAME based App URL to the new platform test domain like so:

domain → {appname}.frb.io → {env-id}.{region}.frbit.app

Customers are advised to change the DNS to the new platform test domain sometimes after the DNS switch is performed to remove the old CNAME based App URL. This is not mandatory for now, but recommended.

# 3 - Post migration

A few things change once an app runs on the new platform:

• dash.fortrabbit.com↗ - New dashboard.
• The fortrabbit-hosted Git repository is gone. Deploy through the GitHub integration, or over SSH/SFTP/rsync.
• Username and password logins are gone. Access uses SSH key authentication.
• The SSH/SFTP host URLs changed. Pick up the new ones from the new dashboard.

# Billing

The migration service is free for all customers. The pricing level is mostly the same. Individual bills may vary. Thanks to in-arrears billing per app, based on daily usage, minimum overlap will happen.

# Pricing adjustments

The pricing structure of the new platform has changed. App plans will be mapped to the new structure as best as possible. The price level is similar, for many apps the new plans will be more affordable, some App configurations may need to pay more. The pricing is much more fair, the less you use, the cheaper it is.

# Full migration case

As noted, we aim to migrate all apps by a customer at once. If so, during the month of the migration, the customer will receive an invoice for the old platform and an invoice for the new platform. After that, only the new platform will be billed.

# Partial migration case

For some customers we may only move some apps to the new platform. This can be because the customer opted out for certain apps, or because an app needs further adjustments to run on the new platform.

In this case, customers will receive invoices for the old platform and the new platform until the migration is completed, of course only per app, at NO additional costs (no pay double).

# Edge cases

# Code/config adjustments

Apps, that have been kept up-to-date and that have been configured with best practices, using ENV variables, will not require any code/config changes.

We foresee and plan ahead that is will not be the case for many apps. To make apps work on the new platform, we may need to make some code/config changes. This can be a composer update, or a change in the framework version, or changing hardcoded config values.

# Drift

For the period of overlap, no changes should be done to account settings and apps to avoid drift.

# After the migration

Suggested next steps:

# Review, review, review

Customers are asked to review their app with and after the migration. We do everything we can to make to test migrated apps for full functionality, but we can't guarantee that all apps will work fully as expected. Projects are complex, we don't know the code base and the requirements of each app.

Click around the new dashboard, get comfortable with the new interface, explore the new features.

# Download new code backups

Get a fresh code backup after the migration by downloading the code base from the new platform via backups or manually cloning.

# Hop to GitHub integration

If you like to use git push to deploy your app, you can do so with the new platform. For now, only GitHub is supported. See GitHub integration for more details.

# Self-service migration

Early adopters do not have to wait for the program. The self-service migration guide walks through moving an app by hand — deploy the code base, import the database, and copy the media library into persistent storage.

Please contact us at any point during the process. We are happy to provide hands-on assistance, and can offer a discount during the migration period.