Updating Dubly is a simple, safe process using the same install script with the --update flag.
Quick Update
Run the update command from any directory:
sudo /opt/dubly/scripts/install.sh --update
- Pull the latest code from the main branch
- Rebuild the binary
- Restart the Dubly service
The update process preserves your .env configuration and database. No data is lost during updates.
What Happens During Update
Pull Latest Changes
The script runs git pull origin main in /opt/dubly to fetch the latest code.git -C /opt/dubly pull origin main
Rebuild Binary
The Go binary is rebuilt with the new code:cd /opt/dubly
/usr/local/go/bin/go build -o dubly ./cmd/server
Restart Service
The systemd service is restarted to load the new binary:Downtime is typically less than 1 second. Verify Status
The script displays the service status:systemctl --no-pager status dubly
Update Process in Detail
Configuration Preservation
The update process never touches:
/opt/dubly/.env (your configuration)/opt/dubly/dubly.db (your database)/opt/dubly/GeoLite2-City.mmdb (GeoIP database)/etc/systemd/system/dubly.service (systemd unit)/etc/caddy/Caddyfile (Caddy configuration)
Only the binary and source code are updated.
Zero-Configuration Updates
The update flag skips all interactive prompts. It assumes:
- You have an existing installation at
/opt/dubly
- Your
.env file is correct
- Services are already configured
If no installation exists, the script exits with an error:
[ERROR] No Dubly installation found at /opt/dubly.
[ERROR] Run without --update for a fresh install.
Safe Update Procedures
Pre-Update Checklist
Before updating:
Check Current Status
Verify Dubly is running normally: Backup Database (Optional)
If you have S3 backups configured, they’re automatic. For extra safety:sudo cp /opt/dubly/dubly.db /opt/dubly/dubly.db.backup-$(date +%Y%m%d)
sudo /opt/dubly/scripts/install.sh --update
=== Updating Dubly ===
[INFO] Pulling latest changes...
Already up to date.
[INFO] Rebuilding binary...
[INFO] Restarting service...
[OK] Dubly updated successfully!
● dubly.service - Dubly URL Shortener
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/dubly.service; enabled)
Active: active (running) since Mon 2026-03-02 10:30:15 UTC; 1s ago
Main PID: 12345 (dubly)
Tasks: 8
Memory: 12.4M
Post-Update Verification
Check Service Status
Confirm Dubly is running:Status should show active (running). Test API
Verify the API responds:curl -s https://dubly.example.com/api/links \
-H 'X-API-Key: your-password'
Check Admin UI
Access the admin interface at https://dubly.example.com and verify it loads.
Rollback Procedure
If the update causes issues, you can roll back:
Stop Service
sudo systemctl stop dubly
Revert to Previous Version
cd /opt/dubly
sudo git log --oneline -n 10 # Find the previous commit
sudo git checkout <previous-commit-hash>
sudo /usr/local/go/bin/go build -o dubly ./cmd/server
Restart Service
sudo systemctl start dubly
Database schema changes may prevent rollback. Check release notes for migration warnings before updating.
Update Frequency Recommendations
- Security updates: Apply immediately
- Feature releases: Update within 1-2 weeks after testing
- Patch releases: Update monthly or as needed
Automated Updates
You can automate updates with a cron job (not recommended for production):
# Run updates weekly on Sunday at 2 AM
0 2 * * 0 /opt/dubly/scripts/install.sh --update >> /var/log/dubly-update.log 2>&1
Automated updates can introduce breaking changes without notice. Only use for non-critical deployments.
Updating Dependencies
Updating Go
The install script installs Go v1.24.0. To update Go:
Download New Version
GO_VERSION="1.24.1" # Change to desired version
ARCH="amd64" # or arm64
curl -fsSL "https://go.dev/dl/go${GO_VERSION}.linux-${ARCH}.tar.gz" -o /tmp/go.tar.gz
Replace Installation
sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go
sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf /tmp/go.tar.gz
rm /tmp/go.tar.gz
Rebuild Dubly
cd /opt/dubly
sudo /usr/local/go/bin/go build -o dubly ./cmd/server
sudo systemctl restart dubly
Updating Litestream
To update Litestream:
LITESTREAM_VERSION="0.3.14" # Check latest at github.com/benbjohnson/litestream
ARCH="amd64" # or arm64
curl -fsSL "https://github.com/benbjohnson/litestream/releases/download/v${LITESTREAM_VERSION}/litestream-v${LITESTREAM_VERSION}-linux-${ARCH}.deb" -o /tmp/litestream.deb
sudo dpkg -i /tmp/litestream.deb
rm /tmp/litestream.deb
sudo systemctl restart dubly
Updating Caddy
Caddy updates through apt:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade caddy
sudo systemctl restart caddy
Troubleshooting Updates
Update Script Fails
If /opt/dubly/scripts/install.sh --update fails:
-
Check Git status for conflicts:
cd /opt/dubly
sudo git status
-
If files were modified locally, stash changes:
sudo git stash
sudo /opt/dubly/scripts/install.sh --update
-
If the repository is corrupted, re-clone:
sudo systemctl stop dubly
sudo mv /opt/dubly /opt/dubly.backup
sudo git clone https://github.com/scmmishra/dubly.git /opt/dubly
sudo cp /opt/dubly.backup/.env /opt/dubly/
sudo cp /opt/dubly.backup/dubly.db /opt/dubly/
sudo /opt/dubly/scripts/install.sh --update
Service Won’t Start After Update
Check logs for errors:
journalctl -u dubly -n 50
- Binary compilation failed (check Go version)
- Environment variable changes (compare
.env to new requirements)
- Database migration needed (check release notes)
Binary Won’t Compile
Ensure Go is installed and accessible:
/usr/local/go/bin/go version
sudo /opt/dubly/scripts/install.sh
cd /opt/dubly
git log -1 --oneline
Release Channels
Dubly follows a single main branch for releases:
- All updates come from
github.com/scmmishra/dubly main branch
- Tagged releases represent stable versions
- The update script always pulls from
main
Next Steps
Configure Backups
Ensure your data is protected before updates
Production Setup
Learn about production deployment and monitoring