# Issue upgrading database for local Galaxy

**URL:** <https://help.galaxyproject.org/t/issue-upgrading-database-for-local-galaxy/17296>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Tags:** devops-administration, galaxy-local\
**Created:** [January 15, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://help.galaxyproject.org/t/issue-upgrading-database-for-local-galaxy/17296 "2026-01-15T15:24:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![jennaj](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/help.galaxyproject.org/jennaj/32/27_2.png) [@jennaj](https://help.galaxyproject.org/u/jennaj)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 11:16pm UTC](https://help.galaxyproject.org/t/issue-upgrading-database-for-local-galaxy/17296/2 "2026-01-23T23:16:54Z")

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Hi @paige_kulzer

Are you starting up a completely new Galaxy instance? Or are you updating a prior instance?

The [Get Galaxy - Galaxy Community Hub](https://galaxyproject.org/admin/get-galaxy) instructions are not really intended to work out of the box without other administrative changes. Now, it did work _easier_ about 4 years ago, but by now it is more complex. And, if you are updating, there is a dedicated protocol that is different!

Overall, I wondering if that is really the best option? If you are looking for a simple standalone Galaxy server, the **Docker Galaxy** would be a much easier choice since this is the intended purpose. It works about the same as the other distributions but has some special configuration options already set, and ways to quickly set basic administrative parameters such as how long to retain data (that you would probably want to toggle) but the rest is exactly the same. This also comes with common tools already installed (and indexes are easily linked in). You can run [scripts to load more tools](https://training.galaxyproject.org/training-material/topics/admin/tutorials/tool-management/tutorial.html) quickly. In short, this version is more like the early versions from “get galaxy” plus a bit more to make it nicer, quicker.

> [@Private Galaxy Servers](https://help.galaxyproject.org/t/private-galaxy-servers/10861/1):
>
> ### Docker Galaxy
> 
> Much comes pre-configured, and common administrative tasks are simpler to implement and maintain. Be sure to review the repository’s README for these custom instructions.
> 
> 🐋 Docker Galaxy
> 
> - [Galaxy Docker - Galaxy Community Hub](https://galaxyproject.org/use/galaxy-docker/)
> - bgruening/docker-galaxy-stable chat at [https://matrix.to/#/#bgruening\_docker-galaxy-stable:gitter.im](https://matrix.to/#/#bgruening_docker-galaxy-stable:gitter.im)

Please let us know what you think! 🙂

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_[View the full topic](https://help.galaxyproject.org/t/issue-upgrading-database-for-local-galaxy/17296)._