View source for ICT:MW upgrade 1.43.8 to 1.46 LTS

= MediaWiki Upgrade Procedure — 1.43.8 → 1.46 LTS =
'''Document version:''' 2025‑04‑04  
'''Author:''' Martin  
'''Purpose:''' Clean, reproducible, successor‑friendly upgrade to MediaWiki 1.46 LTS using a parallel installation in <code>/var/www/mw146</code> and a reverse‑proxy switch.

This procedure ensures:
* Zero downtime  
* Instant rollback  
* No leftover files from old versions  
* Clean, maintainable, successor‑friendly architecture  

The upgrade is executed on the '''web VM''' with a final switch on the '''reverse‑proxy VM'''.

----

== Preconditions ==
* Working MediaWiki '''1.43.8 LTS''' installation  
* Database VM reachable and healthy  
* PHP '''8.1 or 8.2'''  
* Reverse proxy currently pointing to <code>/var/www/mw143</code>  
* VM snapshot taken before starting  
* SSH access to web VM and reverse‑proxy VM  

----

== Step 1: Prepare new directory ==
On the '''web VM''':

<pre>
cd /var/www
mkdir mw146
</pre>

Download and extract MediaWiki 1.46 LTS:

<pre>
wget https://releases.wikimedia.org/mediawiki/1.46/mediawiki-1.46.0.tar.gz
tar -xzf mediawiki-1.46.0.tar.gz --strip-components=1 -C mw146
</pre>

Resulting structure:

<pre>
/var/www/mw146
</pre>

----

== Step 2: Copy required files from old installation ==
From the existing 1.43 installation (example path <code>/var/www/mw143</code>):

=== Copy LocalSettings.php ===
<pre>
cp /var/www/mw143/LocalSettings.php /var/www/mw146/
</pre>

=== Copy images directory ===
<pre>
cp -R /var/www/mw143/images /var/www/mw146/
</pre>

=== Copy custom logos (if stored outside images) ===
<pre>
cp /var/www/mw143/resources/assets/*logo* /var/www/mw146/resources/assets/
</pre>

Do '''not''' copy extensions yet.

----

== Step 3: Install or update extensions ==
MediaWiki 1.46 requires updated extensions.

For each extension used in 1.43:

# Download the '''1.46‑compatible''' version  
# Place it in <code>/var/www/mw146/extensions/</code>  
# Keep the same configuration lines in <code>LocalSettings.php</code>  

Vector‑2022 is bundled in 1.46 → no action needed.

----

== Step 4: Run the database upgrade ==
On the web VM:

<pre>
cd /var/www/mw146
php maintenance/update.php
</pre>

This upgrades the schema '''in place'''.  
No data is lost.  
No new database is created.

----

== Step 5: Local testing before switching reverse proxy ==
Access the new installation directly via the web VM’s IP:

<pre>
http://&lt;web-vm-ip&gt;/mw146/
</pre>

Verify:

* Login  
* Namespaces and subpages  
* Uploads  
* SMTP  
* Dark mode  
* Vector‑2022 behaviour  
* Special pages (filter box present)  
* Search  
* Logo  

Proceed only when everything is correct.

----

== Step 6: Switch reverse proxy ==
On the '''reverse‑proxy VM''', update the root path.

Example (Nginx):

<pre>
root /var/www/mw146;
</pre>

Reload:

<pre>
systemctl reload nginx
</pre>

The wiki now runs on '''1.46 LTS'''.

Rollback is instant: point back to <code>/var/www/mw143</code>.

----

== Step 7: Post‑upgrade checks ==
* Check error logs on web VM  
* Check reverse‑proxy logs  
* Verify job queue  
* Verify uploads  
* Verify Special pages  
* Verify dark mode  
* Verify email notifications  

----

== Step 8: Cleanup ==
After several days of stable operation:

<pre>
rm -rf /var/www/mw143
</pre>

Or archive it for long‑term reference.

----

== Rollback Procedure ==
If any issue occurs after switching:

# Edit reverse‑proxy config  
# Point root back to <code>/var/www/mw143</code>  
# Reload proxy  
# Wiki is instantly restored  

Database remains compatible.

----

== Notes ==
* MediaWiki 1.46 includes native dark mode  
* Vector‑2022 settings may be simplified  
* The Special pages filter box is available in 1.46  
* No database recreation is required for upgrades