Updating Kat

Keep your Kat installation up to date to get the latest features, bug fixes, and security updates.

Check Current Version

First, check which version you currently have:

kat version

Update Methods

Using the Install Script (Recommended)

The easiest way to update Kat is to re-run the install script:

curl -sSL https://kat.bolaji.de/install | sudo bash

This will download and install the latest version, replacing your current installation.

Manual Update

1. Visit the GitHub Releases page
2. Download the latest release for your platform
3. Replace your existing kat binary with the new one

Update from Source

If you installed from source:

cd /path/to/kat-source
git pull origin main
make install

Version Compatibility

Kat follows Semantic Versioning:

• Patch releases (1.0.1 → 1.0.2): Bug fixes, fully backward compatible
• Minor releases (1.0.x → 1.1.0): New features, backward compatible
• Major releases (1.x.x → 2.0.0): Breaking changes, migration guide provided

Migration Compatibility

Your existing migrations will continue to work across all Kat updates. The migration file format and database schema are stable APIs that won’t change without a major version bump.

Backup Recommendations

Before updating in production environments:

1. Test the update in a non-production environment first
2. Backup your migration tracking table:

   pg_dump -t migrations your_database > migrations_backup.sql
   

3. Dry run your migrations after updating:

   kat up --dry-run
   

Troubleshooting Updates

If you encounter issues after updating:

1. Check the changelog for breaking changes
2. Verify your configuration is still valid
3. Test database connectivity: kat ping
4. Revert to previous version if needed and report the issue

Getting Help

• 📋 Changelog - See what’s new
• 💬 GitHub Discussions - Ask questions
• 🐛 GitHub Issues - Report problems

💡 Tip: Pin Kat to a specific version in CI/CD environments to ensure reproducible builds.