RelinkDB - auto db migration tool for free-tier services

#opensource #electron #productivity #javascript

If you run side projects, prototypes, or indie tools on Render's free tier, you already know the monthly headache: Render wipes free PostgreSQL databases every 30 days.

Forgetting the expiration date means losing live user data. Remembering it means a tedious manual dance of dumping SQL, spinning up a new database, restoring the data, and updating environment variables.

To fix this routine once and for all, I built RelinkDB.

💡 What is RelinkDB?

RelinkDB is an automated, open-source desktop operator console and background worker built specifically for the Render free-tier Postgres renewal cycle.

Render blocks API-based creation of free resources, so you still have to click New → Postgres in the dashboard once a month. RelinkDB automates every single step around it, turning a 15-minute multi-step chore into a safe 2-minute workflow.

✨ Key Features

⏱️ Expiry Countdown & Alerts: Get live visibility on your database age via the desktop console or an optional background worker process.
💾 One-Click Dump & Restore: Export your live database schema and data before it expires, then restore it directly to the newly provisioned instance.
🔗 Auto-Relinking: Automatically updates your backend web service’s environment variables (DATABASE_URL) on Render and triggers a fresh redeploy instantly.
⚡ Zero-Tool Fallback: Includes a pure-JS dump/restore fallback path using pg when local pg_dump tools aren't installed on your machine.
💻 Operator Desktop Console: Clean Windows desktop UI built with Electron for smooth local management.

🛠️ How the Monthly Workflow Works

Pull Fresh Data (npm run backup): Connects to your active database and dumps a complete data.sql snapshot.
Recreate Instance (Manual): Delete the old DB on Render, click New → Postgres with the same name, and hit Create.
Restore & Relink (npm run sync): RelinkDB detects the new instance, restores your backup, updates your app's environment variables, and redeploys your backend automatically.