How to Migrate Data from Camunda 8.2 to Camunda 8.8?

Camunda 8 Topics
1

Hello everyone,

I am currently working with Camunda 8.2 in production and planning to upgrade to Camunda 8.8. I need guidance on how to properly migrate data from the older version to the newer one.

Specifically, I would like to understand the following:

  1. Is it possible to copy data from the .data directory?
    Can I reuse the existing Zeebe data directory when upgrading from version 8.2 to 8.8, or would this cause compatibility issues?

  2. Can the data be migrated using PostgreSQL?
    If PostgreSQL is used for components such as Operate, Tasklist, or Optimize, is it safe to migrate by backing up and restoring the databases?

  3. Is migration via Zeebe (ZeeBe/Zibi) supported?
    Can process instances, deployments, and historical data be transferred directly from the Zeebe engine of version 8.2 to 8.8? If so, what is the recommended approach?

  4. What is the officially recommended migration strategy?
    Should I perform an in-place upgrade, follow a step-by-step upgrade path through intermediate versions, or set up a new 8.8 cluster and migrate selectively?

  5. Are there any official tools or guides available?
    Links to documentation or best practices would be greatly appreciated.

My environment:

  • Current version: Camunda 8.2

  • Target version: Camunda 8.8

  • Deployment type: (Docker/Self-managed – please specify)

  • Database: PostgreSQL

Any advice, documentation, or real-world experience would be extremely helpful.

Thank you in advance!

Best regards,
Serhii

2

For migrating from Camunda 8.2 to 8.8, you’ll need to upgrade one minor version at a time (8.2 → 8.3 → … → 8.8) with proper backups at each step, and note that 8.8 introduces architectural changes with the unified Orchestration Cluster. I found the following relevant resources:

Does this help? If not, can anyone from the community jump in? :waving_hand:

:light_bulb: Hints: Use the Ask AI feature in Camunda’s documentation to chat with AI and get fast help. Report bugs and features in Camuda’s GitHub issue tracker. Trust the process. :robot: