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Using the import and export features of the Datastore emulator, you
can export data from your database instance and load it into the emulator. You
can also export data from the emulator and load it into your
Datastore mode database.
Before you begin
Before you use the import or export features of the Datastore emulator,
complete the following:
The import and export features are available for cloud-datastore-emulator
versions 2.1.0 and greater. You may need to update your Google Cloud CLI
components.
For import operations, make sure your entity export files are on the same
machine as the emulator.
Import entities into the emulator
The emulator's import feature lets you load entities from a set of entity export
files into the emulator. The entity export files can come from an export of
your Datastore mode database or of an emulator instance.
To import entities into the emulator, send a POST import request to the
emulator. You can use curl or a similar tool. For
example, the following request will import all entities from a set of entity
export files into the emulator:
Import entities from specific kinds and namespaces
You can specify an entity filter to import entities from only specific kinds or
namespaces. You can specify an entity filter only if the export was created
using an entity filter.
[KIND_NAMES] is a list of kinds: "kinds":["KIND_1", "KIND_2"]
[NAMESPACES] is a list of namespace IDs:
"namespace_ids":["NAMESPACE_1", "NAMESPACE_2"]
Export entities in the emulator
The emulator's export feature lets you save entities in the emulator into a
set of entity export files. You can then use an import operation to load the
entities in the entity export files into your Datastore mode database or
into an emulator instance.
To export entities in an emulator instance, send a POST export request to the
emulator. You can use curl or a similar tool. For
example, the following request will export all entities in the emulator:
Modify localhost:8081 if the emulator uses a different port.
where:
[PROJECT_ID] is the ID of your project.
[EXPORT_DIRECTORY] specifies the directory where the emulator saves the
entity export files. This directory must not already contain a set of
entity export files. For example:
Once your entity export files are available in a Cloud Storage bucket, you
can import the data into your database as described in
Exporting and importing entities.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-09-03 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eThe Datastore emulator allows you to export data from your database instance and load it into the emulator, as well as export data from the emulator and load it into your Datastore mode database.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eTo import entities into the emulator, a \u003ccode\u003ePOST\u003c/code\u003e import request must be sent, which involves specifying the project ID and the path to the \u003ccode\u003eoverall_export_metadata\u003c/code\u003e file.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eWhen importing or exporting, you can filter entities by specific kinds or namespaces using an entity filter in the request.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eTo export entities, send a \u003ccode\u003ePOST\u003c/code\u003e export request to the emulator, specifying the project ID and the directory for the exported files.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eData exported from the emulator can be loaded into a Datastore mode database, but the entity export files must first be uploaded to a Cloud Storage bucket.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Exporting and importing emulator data\n\nUsing the import and export features of the Datastore emulator, you\ncan export data from your database instance and load it into the emulator. You\ncan also export data from the emulator and load it into your\nDatastore mode database.\n\nBefore you begin\n----------------\n\nBefore you use the import or export features of the Datastore emulator,\ncomplete the following:\n\n- [Start the Datastore emulator.](/datastore/docs/tools/datastore-emulator)\n\n The import and export features are available for `cloud-datastore-emulator`\n versions 2.1.0 and greater. You may need to [update your Google Cloud CLI\n components](/sdk/docs/components#updating_components).\n- For import operations, make sure your entity export files are on the same\n machine as the emulator.\n\nImport entities into the emulator\n---------------------------------\n\nThe emulator's import feature lets you load entities from a set of entity export\nfiles into the emulator. The entity export files can come from an export of\nyour Datastore mode database or of an emulator instance.\n\nTo import entities into the emulator, send a `POST` import request to the\nemulator. You can use [curl](https://curl.haxx.se/) or a similar tool. For\nexample, the following request will import all entities from a set of entity\nexport files into the emulator: \n\n### Protocol\n\n```sh\ncurl -X POST localhost:8081/v1/projects/[PROJECT_ID]:import \\\n-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \\\n-d '{\"input_url\":\"[ENTITY_EXPORT_FILES]\"}'\n```\nModify `localhost:8081` if the emulator uses a different port.\n\nwhere:\n\n- `[PROJECT_ID]` is the ID of your project.\n- `[ENTITY_EXPORT_FILES]` is the path to the `overall_export_metadata` file of your\n entity export files. For example:\n\n `{\"input_url\":\"/home/user/myexports/2019-02-04T19:39:33_443/2019-02-04T19:39:33_443.overall_export_metadata\"}`\n\n### Import entities from specific kinds and namespaces\n\nYou can specify an entity filter to import entities from only specific kinds or\nnamespaces. You can specify an entity filter only if the export was created\nusing an entity filter.\n\nSpecify kinds or namespaces in an entity filter: \n\n### Protocol\n\n```sh\ncurl -X POST localhost:8081/v1/projects/[PROJECT_ID]:import \\\n-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \\\n-d '{\"input_url\":\"[ENTITY_EXPORT_FILES]\",\n\"entity_filter\":{\"kinds\":[[KIND_NAMES]], \"namespace_ids\":[[NAMESPACES]]}}'\n```\nModify `localhost:8081` if the emulator uses a different port.\n\nwhere:\n\n- `[PROJECT_ID]` is the ID of your project.\n- `[ENTITY_EXPORT_FILES]` is the path to the `overall_export_metadata` file of your\n entity export files. For example:\n\n `{\"input_url\":\"/home/user/myexports/2019-02-04T19:39:33_443/2019-02-04T19:39:33_443.overall_export_metadata\"}`\n- `[KIND_NAMES]` is a list of kinds: `\"kinds\":[\"KIND_1\", \"KIND_2\"]`\n\n- `[NAMESPACES]` is a list of namespace IDs:\n\n `\"namespace_ids\":[\"NAMESPACE_1\", \"NAMESPACE_2\"]`\n\nExport entities in the emulator\n-------------------------------\n\nThe emulator's export feature lets you save entities in the emulator into a\nset of entity export files. You can then use an import operation to load the\nentities in the entity export files into your Datastore mode database or\ninto an emulator instance.\n\nTo export entities in an emulator instance, send a `POST` export request to the\nemulator. You can use [curl](https://curl.haxx.se/) or a similar tool. For\nexample, the following request will export all entities in the emulator: \n\n### Protocol\n\n```sh\ncurl -X POST localhost:8081/v1/projects/[PROJECT_ID]:export \\\n-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \\\n-d '{\"output_url_prefix\":\"EXPORT_DIRECTORY\"}'\n```\nModify `localhost:8081` if the emulator uses a different port.\n\nwhere:\n\n- `[PROJECT_ID]` is the ID of your project.\n- `[EXPORT_DIRECTORY]` specifies the directory where the emulator saves the\n entity export files. This directory must not already contain a set of\n entity export files. For example:\n\n `{\"output_url_prefix\":\"/home/user/myexports/2019-02-04/\"}`\n\n| **Note:** If you intend to use an entity filter when importing entities from your entity export files, you must [specify an entity filter in your export\n| operation](#export-with-entity-filter).\n\n\n### Export entities from specific kinds and namespaces\n\n\nYou can specify an entity filter to export entities from only specific kinds or\nnamespaces.\n\n\nSpecify kinds or namespaces in an entity filter:\n\n### Protocol\n\n```sh\ncurl -X POST localhost:8081/v1/projects/[PROJECT_ID]:export \\\n-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \\\n-d '{\"output_url_prefix\":\"EXPORT_DIRECTORY\",\n\"entity_filter\":{\"kinds\":[[KIND_NAMES]], \"namespace_ids\":[[NAMESPACES]]}}'\n```\nModify `localhost:8081` if the emulator uses a different port.\n\nwhere:\n\n\n- `[PROJECT_ID]` is the ID of your project.\n- `[EXPORT_DIRECTORY]` specifies the directory where the emulator saves the\n entity export files. This directory must not already contain a set of\n entity export files. For example:\n\n {\"output_url_prefix\":\"/home/user/myexports/2019-02-04/\"}\\`\\`\n- `[KIND_NAMES]` is a list of kinds: `\"kinds\":[\"KIND_1\", \"KIND_2\"]`\n\n- `[NAMESPACES]` is a list of namespace IDs:\n\n `\"namespace_ids\":[\"NAMESPACE_1\", \"NAMESPACE_2\"]`\n\n\n### Load emulator data into your database\n\n\nEntity export files created by the emulator are compatible with the\nmanaged import feature for Datastore mode databases.\n\n\nBefore you can load entities exported from the emulator into your database, you\nmust [upload your entity export files to a Cloud Storage\nbucket](/storage/docs/uploading-objects). The managed import feature reads only\nfrom Cloud Storage buckets.\n\nOnce your entity export files are available in a Cloud Storage bucket, you\ncan import the data into your database as described in\n[Exporting and importing entities](/datastore/docs/export-import-entities)."]]
