Updating a Varbase Site

Before Updating

Updating Varbase is best done through Composer. Assuming that Varbase had been installed with the recommended way. Through the Composer-based project template varbase-project by running the command:

composer create-project Vardot/varbase-project YOUR_PROJECT --no-dev --no-interaction

This will create the Varbase project directory that will look like this: /path/to/YOUR_PROJECT with the Drupal 9 codebase installed via Varbase installation profile in /path/to/YOUR_PROJECT/docroot.

Updating Varbase should always be done in a local or development environment. Once the update process is properly done and tested you can push your code and build to your production site. DO NOT update Varbase directly when in production.

The Varbase Updater tools requires write permissions to the project directory. Please make sure that the write permissions are active in order for the updater to work.

The Update Process

There are two main update processes we will cover. 1) Automated process using a tool we've developed to ease the update process for Varbase called varbase-updater. 2) Manual process if you wish to take matters into your own hands.

An easy to use automated process is now available. ↓

OPTION 1: Automated Process — Using Varbase Updater

If you previously used our Composer-based project template to install Varbase varbase-project, complete the following steps to update your codebase’s installed version of Varbase:

1. From a command prompt window, navigate to your project: cd /path/to/YOUR_PROJECT

2. If you're using Varbase 8.6.2 or older, install varbase-updater through Composer. composer require vardot/varbase-updater If you're using Varbase 8.6.3 or newer, skip this step; varbase-updater comes pre-installed with your Varbase project.

3. Run the Varbase update tool. ./bin/update-varbase.sh

4. Follow the wizard.

   Curious? Learn more about what's going on in the Varbase Updater wizard.

5. Buy yourself a drink! You're done.

6. After the update finishes and you get a success message, navigate to http://my.varbase-site.local/**admin/config/development/update-helper** (where my.varbase-site.local is the URL for your website) to learn about the new changes and updates introduced in your Varbase site.

Did you face a problem after the wizard has run? Please report your problem through the Varbase issue queue.

At the end of the update process, two log files are useful to troubleshoot your update:

• varbase_update_error.log: a log of all errors that occurred during the update process.

• varbase_failed_patches.log: a log of all patches that failed to apply during the update process.

OPTION 2: Manual Process — Do it Yourself

1. From a command prompt window, navigate to the project directory: cd /path/to/YOUR_PROJECT

2. Edit your composer.json file to be ready for updates. You have two choices.

   1. The hard way: Edit your composer.json to include all the new updates made in varbase-project. This includes the new components required and its versions "require", "repositories", "extra", and any other important config. You can use a diff tool such as Meld or DiffMerge to help you diff between your old composer.json and the new one from varbase-project.
   2. The easy way:

      1. If you're using Varbase 8.6.2 or older, install varbase-updater through Composer. composer require vardot/varbase-updater If you're using Varbase 8.6.3 or newer, skip this step; varbase-updater comes pre-installed with your Varbase project.
      2. Then run: composer varbase-refactor-composer composer.new.json docroot where docroot is your Drupal project codebase.

      3. Move your new Composer file composer.new.json in place of the old one. mv composer.json composer.json.b; \ mv composer.new.json composer.json

3. Back up the code and database

4. Execute Composer update to download updates to modules and libraries. composer update

5. Run database updates. drush updatedb or by navigating to http://my.varbase-site.local/update.php (where my.varbase-site.local is the URL for your website) and follow the on-screen instructions.
6. After the update finishes with a success message, navigate to http://my.varbase-site.local/**admin/config/development/update-helper** (where my.varbase-site.local is the URL for your website) to learn about the new changes and updates introduced in the Varbase site.