Also URL addition in upgrade

.github/workflows/test-stack-reusable-workflow.yml

@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ jobs:
           docker run test-changedetectionio bash -c 'python3 -m unittest changedetectionio.tests.unit.test_watch_model'
           docker run test-changedetectionio bash -c 'python3 -m unittest changedetectionio.tests.unit.test_jinja2_security'
           docker run test-changedetectionio bash -c 'python3 -m unittest changedetectionio.tests.unit.test_semver'
-          docker run test-changedetectionio bash -c 'python3 -m unittest changedetectionio.tests.unit.test_html_to_text'
+          docker run test-changedetectionio bash -c 'python3 -m unittest changedetectionio.tests.unit.test_html_to_text'         
 
   # Basic pytest tests with ancillary services
   basic-tests:
@@ -516,3 +516,142 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
           docker rm sig-test
+
+  # Upgrade path test
+  upgrade-path-test:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: build
+    timeout-minutes: 25
+    env:
+      PYTHON_VERSION: ${{ inputs.python-version }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0  # Fetch all history and tags for upgrade testing
+
+      - name: Set up Python ${{ env.PYTHON_VERSION }}
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v6
+        with:
+          python-version: ${{ env.PYTHON_VERSION }}
+
+      - name: Check upgrade works without error
+        run: |
+          echo "=== Testing upgrade path from 0.49.1 to ${{ github.ref_name }} (${{ github.sha }}) ==="
+
+          # Checkout old version and create datastore
+          git checkout 0.49.1
+          python3 -m venv .venv
+          source .venv/bin/activate
+          pip install -r requirements.txt
+          pip install 'pyOpenSSL>=23.2.0'
+
+          echo "=== Running version 0.49.1 to create datastore ==="
+          python3 ./changedetection.py -C -d /tmp/data &
+          APP_PID=$!
+
+          # Wait for app to be ready
+          echo "Waiting for 0.49.1 to be ready..."
+          sleep 6
+
+          # Extract API key from datastore (0.49.1 uses url-watches.json)
+          API_KEY=$(jq -r '.settings.application.api_access_token // empty' /tmp/data/url-watches.json)
+          echo "API Key: ${API_KEY:0:8}..."
+
+          # Create a watch with tag "github-group-test" via API
+          echo "Creating test watch with tag via API..."
+          curl -X POST "http://127.0.0.1:5000/api/v1/watch" \
+            -H "x-api-key: ${API_KEY}" \
+            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+            --show-error --fail \
+            --retry 6 --retry-delay 1 --retry-connrefused \
+            -d '{
+              "url": "https://example.com/upgrade-test",
+              "tag": "github-group-test"
+            }'
+
+          echo "✓ Created watch with tag 'github-group-test'"
+
+          # Create a specific test URL watch
+          echo "Creating test URL watch via API..."
+          curl -X POST "http://127.0.0.1:5000/api/v1/watch" \
+            -H "x-api-key: ${API_KEY}" \
+            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+            --show-error --fail \
+            -d '{
+              "url": "http://localhost/test.txt"
+            }'
+
+          echo "✓ Created watch for 'http://localhost/test.txt' in version 0.49.1"
+
+          # Stop the old version gracefully
+          kill $APP_PID
+          wait $APP_PID || true
+          echo "✓ Version 0.49.1 stopped"
+
+          # Upgrade to current version (use commit SHA since we're in detached HEAD)
+          echo "Upgrading to commit ${{ github.sha }}"
+          git checkout ${{ github.sha }}
+          pip install -r requirements.txt
+
+          echo "=== Running current version (commit ${{ github.sha }}) with old datastore (testing mode) ==="
+          TESTING_SHUTDOWN_AFTER_DATASTORE_LOAD=1 python3 ./changedetection.py -d /tmp/data > /tmp/upgrade-test.log 2>&1
+
+          echo "=== Upgrade test output ==="
+          cat /tmp/upgrade-test.log
+          echo "✓ Datastore upgraded successfully"
+
+          # Now start the current version normally to verify the tag survived
+          echo "=== Starting current version to verify tag exists after upgrade ==="
+          timeout 20 python3 ./changedetection.py -d /tmp/data > /tmp/ui-test.log 2>&1 &
+          APP_PID=$!
+
+          # Wait for app to be ready and fetch UI
+          echo "Waiting for current version to be ready..."
+          sleep 5
+          curl --retry 6 --retry-delay 1 --retry-connrefused --silent http://127.0.0.1:5000 > /tmp/ui-output.html
+
+          # Verify tag exists in UI
+          if grep -q "github-group-test" /tmp/ui-output.html; then
+            echo "✓ Tag 'github-group-test' found in UI after upgrade"
+          else
+            echo "ERROR: Tag 'github-group-test' not found in UI after upgrade"
+            echo "=== UI Output ==="
+            cat /tmp/ui-output.html
+            echo "=== App Log ==="
+            cat /tmp/ui-test.log
+            kill $APP_PID || true
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          # Verify test URL exists in UI
+          if grep -q "http://localhost/test.txt" /tmp/ui-output.html; then
+            echo "✓ Watch URL 'http://localhost/test.txt' found in UI after upgrade"
+          else
+            echo "ERROR: Watch URL 'http://localhost/test.txt' not found in UI after upgrade"
+            echo "=== UI Output ==="
+            cat /tmp/ui-output.html
+            echo "=== App Log ==="
+            cat /tmp/ui-test.log
+            kill $APP_PID || true
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          # Cleanup
+          kill $APP_PID || true
+          wait $APP_PID || true
+
+          echo ""
+          echo "✓✓✓ Upgrade test passed: 0.49.1 → ${{ github.ref_name }} ✓✓✓"
+          echo "    - Commit: ${{ github.sha }}"
+          echo "    - Datastore migrated successfully"
+          echo "    - Tag 'github-group-test' survived upgrade"
+          echo "    - Watch URL 'http://localhost/test.txt' survived upgrade"
+
+          echo "✓ Upgrade test passed: 0.49.1 → ${{ github.ref_name }}"
+
+      - name: Upload upgrade test logs
+        if: always()
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
+        with:
+          name: upgrade-test-logs-py${{ env.PYTHON_VERSION }}
+          path: /tmp/upgrade-test.log

changedetectionio/__init__.py

@@ -371,7 +371,15 @@ def main():
         # Dont' start if the JSON DB looks corrupt
         logger.critical(f"ERROR: JSON DB or Proxy List JSON at '{app_config['datastore_path']}' appears to be corrupt, aborting.")
         logger.critical(str(e))
-        return
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # Testing mode: Exit cleanly after datastore initialization (for CI/CD upgrade tests)
+    if os.environ.get('TESTING_SHUTDOWN_AFTER_DATASTORE_LOAD'):
+        logger.success(f"TESTING MODE: Datastore loaded successfully from {app_config['datastore_path']}")
+        logger.success(f"TESTING MODE: Schema version: {datastore.data['settings']['application'].get('schema_version', 'unknown')}")
+        logger.success(f"TESTING MODE: Loaded {len(datastore.data['watching'])} watches")
+        logger.success("TESTING MODE: Exiting cleanly (TESTING_SHUTDOWN_AFTER_DATASTORE_LOAD is set)")
+        sys.exit(0)
 
     # Apply all_paused setting if specified via CLI
     if all_paused is not None:

changedetectionio/model/Tag.py

@@ -20,11 +20,9 @@ See: Watch.py model docstring for full Pydantic architecture explanation
 See: processors/restock_diff/processor.py:184-192 for current manual implementation
 """
 
-import os
 from changedetectionio.model import watch_base
 from changedetectionio.model.persistence import EntityPersistenceMixin
 
-
 class model(EntityPersistenceMixin, watch_base):
     """
     Tag domain model - groups watches and can override their settings.

changedetectionio/model/__init__.py

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 import uuid
 
 from changedetectionio import strtobool
-from .persistence import EntityPersistenceMixin
+from .persistence import EntityPersistenceMixin, _determine_entity_type
 
 __all__ = ['EntityPersistenceMixin', 'watch_base']
 
@@ -511,10 +511,8 @@ class watch_base(dict):
         # Save to disk via subclass implementation
         try:
             # Determine entity type from module name (Watch.py -> watch, Tag.py -> tag)
-            from changedetectionio.model.persistence import _determine_entity_type
             entity_type = _determine_entity_type(self.__class__)
             filename = f"{entity_type}.json"
-
             self._save_to_disk(data_dict, uuid)
             logger.debug(f"Committed {entity_type} {uuid} to {uuid}/{filename}")
         except Exception as e:

changedetectionio/store/__init__.py

@@ -33,9 +33,8 @@ except ImportError:
 from ..processors import get_custom_watch_obj_for_processor
 
 # Import the base class and helpers
-from .file_saving_datastore import FileSavingDataStore, load_all_watches, load_all_tags, save_watch_atomic, save_tag_atomic, save_json_atomic
+from .file_saving_datastore import FileSavingDataStore, load_all_watches, load_all_tags, save_json_atomic
 from .updates import DatastoreUpdatesMixin
-from .legacy_loader import has_legacy_datastore
 
 # Because the server will run as a daemon and wont know the URL for notification links when firing off a notification
 BASE_URL_NOT_SET_TEXT = '("Base URL" not set - see settings - notifications)'
@@ -78,7 +77,7 @@ class ChangeDetectionStore(DatastoreUpdatesMixin, FileSavingDataStore):
             logger.info(f"Backing up changedetection.json due to new version to '{db_path_version_backup}'.")
             copyfile(db_path, db_path_version_backup)
 
-    def _load_settings(self):
+    def _load_settings(self, filename="changedetection.json"):
         """
         Load settings from storage.
 
@@ -87,7 +86,7 @@ class ChangeDetectionStore(DatastoreUpdatesMixin, FileSavingDataStore):
         Returns:
             dict: Settings data loaded from storage
         """
-        changedetection_json = os.path.join(self.datastore_path, "changedetection.json")
+        changedetection_json = os.path.join(self.datastore_path, filename)
 
         logger.info(f"Loading settings from {changedetection_json}")
 
@@ -122,6 +121,11 @@ class ChangeDetectionStore(DatastoreUpdatesMixin, FileSavingDataStore):
             if 'application' in settings_data['settings']:
                 self.__data['settings']['application'].update(settings_data['settings']['application'])
 
+        # More or less for the old format which had this data in the one url-watches.json
+        # cant hurt to leave it here,
+        if 'watching' in settings_data:
+            self.__data['watching'].update(settings_data['watching'])
+
     def _rehydrate_tags(self):
         """Rehydrate tag entities from stored data into Tag objects with restock_diff processor."""
         from ..model import Tag
@@ -146,23 +150,28 @@ class ChangeDetectionStore(DatastoreUpdatesMixin, FileSavingDataStore):
         logger.info(f"Rehydrating {watch_count} watches...")
         watching_rehydrated = {}
         for uuid, watch_dict in self.__data.get('watching', {}).items():
-            watching_rehydrated[uuid] = self.rehydrate_entity(uuid, watch_dict)
+            if isinstance(watch_dict, dict):
+                watching_rehydrated[uuid] = self.rehydrate_entity(uuid, watch_dict)
+            else:
+                logger.error(f"Watch UUID {uuid} already rehydrated")
+
         self.__data['watching'] = watching_rehydrated
         logger.success(f"Rehydrated {watch_count} watches into Watch objects")
 
 
-    def _load_state(self):
+    def _load_state(self, main_settings_filename="changedetection.json"):
         """
         Load complete datastore state from storage.
 
         Orchestrates loading of settings, watches, and tags using polymorphic methods.
         """
         # Load settings
-        settings_data = self._load_settings()
+        settings_data = self._load_settings(filename=main_settings_filename)
         self._apply_settings(settings_data)
 
-        # Load watches (polymorphic - parent class method)
+        # Load watches, scan them from the disk
         self._load_watches()
+        self._rehydrate_watches()
 
         # Load tags from individual tag.json files
         # These will override any tags in settings (migration path)
@@ -200,112 +209,73 @@ class ChangeDetectionStore(DatastoreUpdatesMixin, FileSavingDataStore):
 
         # Check if datastore already exists
         changedetection_json = os.path.join(self.datastore_path, "changedetection.json")
+        changedetection_json_old_schema = os.path.join(self.datastore_path, "url-watches.json")
 
         if os.path.exists(changedetection_json):
-            # Load existing datastore (changedetection.json + watch.json files)
-            logger.info("Loading existing datastore")
-            try:
-                self._load_state()
-            except Exception as e:
-                logger.critical(f"Failed to load datastore: {e}")
-                raise
-
             # Run schema updates if needed
             # Pass current schema version from loaded datastore (defaults to 0 if not set)
+            # Load existing datastore (changedetection.json + watch.json files)
+            logger.info("Loading existing datastore")
+            self._load_state()
+            current_schema = self.data['settings']['application'].get('schema_version', 0)
+            self.run_updates(current_schema_version=current_schema)
+
+        # Legacy datastore detected - trigger migration, even works if the schema is much before the migration step.
+        elif os.path.exists(changedetection_json_old_schema):
+
+            logger.critical(f"Legacy datastore detected at {changedetection_json_old_schema}, loading and running updates")
+            self._load_state(main_settings_filename="url-watches.json")
+            # update 26 will load the whole old config from disk to __data
             current_schema = self.__data['settings']['application'].get('schema_version', 0)
             self.run_updates(current_schema_version=current_schema)
+            # Probably tags were also shifted to disk and many other changes, so best to reload here.
+            self._load_state()
 
         else:
             # No datastore yet - check if this is a fresh install or legacy migration
-            # Generate app_guid FIRST (required for all operations)
+            self.init_fresh_install(include_default_watches=include_default_watches,
-            if "pytest" in sys.modules or "PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST" in os.environ:
+                                    version_tag=version_tag)
-                self.__data['app_guid'] = "test-" + str(uuid_builder.uuid4())
-            else:
-                self.__data['app_guid'] = str(uuid_builder.uuid4())
 
-            # Generate RSS access token
+    def init_fresh_install(self, include_default_watches, version_tag):
-            self.__data['settings']['application']['rss_access_token'] = secrets.token_hex(16)
+      # Generate app_guid FIRST (required for all operations)
+        if "pytest" in sys.modules or "PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST" in os.environ:
+            self.__data['app_guid'] = "test-" + str(uuid_builder.uuid4())
+        else:
+            self.__data['app_guid'] = str(uuid_builder.uuid4())
 
-            # Generate API access token
+        # Generate RSS access token
-            self.__data['settings']['application']['api_access_token'] = secrets.token_hex(16)
+        self.__data['settings']['application']['rss_access_token'] = secrets.token_hex(16)
 
-            # Check if legacy datastore exists (url-watches.json)
+        # Generate API access token
-            if has_legacy_datastore(self.datastore_path):
+        self.__data['settings']['application']['api_access_token'] = secrets.token_hex(16)
-                # Legacy datastore detected - trigger migration
+        logger.warning(f"No datastore found, creating new datastore at {self.datastore_path}")
-                logger.critical(f"Legacy datastore detected at {self.datastore_path}/url-watches.json")
-                logger.critical("Migration will be triggered via update_26")
 
-                # Load the legacy datastore
+        # Set schema version to latest (no updates needed)
-                from .legacy_loader import load_legacy_format
+        latest_update_available = self.get_updates_available().pop()
-                legacy_path = os.path.join(self.datastore_path, "url-watches.json")
+        logger.info(f"Marking fresh install to schema version {latest_update_available}")
-                legacy_data = load_legacy_format(legacy_path)
+        self.__data['settings']['application']['schema_version'] = latest_update_available
 
-                if not legacy_data:
+        # Add default watches if requested
-                    raise Exception("Failed to load legacy datastore from url-watches.json")
+        if include_default_watches:
+            self.add_watch(
+                url='https://news.ycombinator.com/',
+                tag='Tech news',
+                extras={'fetch_backend': 'html_requests'}
+            )
+            self.add_watch(
+                url='https://changedetection.io/CHANGELOG.txt',
+                tag='changedetection.io',
+                extras={'fetch_backend': 'html_requests'}
+            )
 
-                # Merge legacy data with base_config defaults (preserves new fields like 'ui')
+        # Create changedetection.json immediately
-                # self.__data already has App.model() defaults from line 190
+        try:
-                logger.info("Merging legacy data with base_config defaults...")
+            self._save_settings()
-
+            logger.info("Created changedetection.json for new datastore")
-                # Apply top-level fields from legacy data
+        except Exception as e:
-                if 'app_guid' in legacy_data:
+            logger.error(f"Failed to create initial changedetection.json: {e}")
-                    self.__data['app_guid'] = legacy_data['app_guid']
-                if 'build_sha' in legacy_data:
-                    self.__data['build_sha'] = legacy_data['build_sha']
-                if 'version_tag' in legacy_data:
-                    self.__data['version_tag'] = legacy_data['version_tag']
-
-                # Apply watching data (complete replacement as these are user's watches)
-                if 'watching' in legacy_data:
-                    self.__data['watching'] = legacy_data['watching']
-
-                # Merge settings sections (preserves base_config defaults for missing fields)
-                if 'settings' in legacy_data:
-                    if 'headers' in legacy_data['settings']:
-                        self.__data['settings']['headers'].update(legacy_data['settings']['headers'])
-                    if 'requests' in legacy_data['settings']:
-                        self.__data['settings']['requests'].update(legacy_data['settings']['requests'])
-                    if 'application' in legacy_data['settings']:
-                        # CRITICAL: Use .update() to merge, not replace
-                        # This preserves new fields like 'ui' that exist in base_config
-                        self.__data['settings']['application'].update(legacy_data['settings']['application'])
-
-                # CRITICAL: Rehydrate watches from dicts into Watch objects
-                # This ensures watches have their methods available during migration
-                self._rehydrate_watches()
-
-                # update_26 will save watches to individual files and create changedetection.json
-                # Next startup will load from new format normally
-                self.run_updates()
 
 
-            else:
-                # Fresh install - create new datastore
-                logger.warning(f"No datastore found, creating new datastore at {self.datastore_path}")
-
-                # Set schema version to latest (no updates needed)
-                updates_available = self.get_updates_available()
-                self.__data['settings']['application']['schema_version'] = updates_available.pop() if updates_available else 26
-
-                # Add default watches if requested
-                if include_default_watches:
-                    self.add_watch(
-                        url='https://news.ycombinator.com/',
-                        tag='Tech news',
-                        extras={'fetch_backend': 'html_requests'}
-                    )
-                    self.add_watch(
-                        url='https://changedetection.io/CHANGELOG.txt',
-                        tag='changedetection.io',
-                        extras={'fetch_backend': 'html_requests'}
-                    )
-
-                # Create changedetection.json immediately
-                try:
-                    self._save_settings()
-                    logger.info("Created changedetection.json for new datastore")
-                except Exception as e:
-                    logger.error(f"Failed to create initial changedetection.json: {e}")
 
         # Set version tag
         self.__data['version_tag'] = version_tag
@@ -383,17 +353,9 @@ class ChangeDetectionStore(DatastoreUpdatesMixin, FileSavingDataStore):
         # Deep copy settings to avoid modifying the original
         settings_copy = copy.deepcopy(self.__data['settings'])
 
-        # Only exclude tags if we've already migrated them to individual files (schema >= 28)
-        # This ensures update_28 can migrate tags from settings
-        schema_version = self.__data['settings']['application'].get('schema_version', 0)
-        if schema_version >= 28:
-            # Tags are in individual tag.json files, don't save to settings
-            settings_copy['application']['tags'] = {}
-        # else: keep tags in settings for update_28 migration
-
         return {
             'note': 'Settings file - watches are in {uuid}/watch.json, tags are in {uuid}/tag.json',
-            'app_guid': self.__data['app_guid'],
+            'app_guid': self.__data.get('app_guid'),
             'settings': settings_copy,
             'build_sha': self.__data.get('build_sha'),
             'version_tag': self.__data.get('version_tag')
@@ -422,15 +384,14 @@ class ChangeDetectionStore(DatastoreUpdatesMixin, FileSavingDataStore):
         Implementation of abstract method from FileSavingDataStore.
         Delegates to helper function and stores results in internal data structure.
         """
-        watching = load_all_watches(
-            self.datastore_path,
-            self.rehydrate_entity
-        )
 
         # Store loaded data
-        self.__data['watching'] = watching
+        # @note this will also work for the old legacy format because self.__data['watching'] should already have them loaded by this point.
-
+        self.__data['watching'].update(load_all_watches(
-        logger.debug(f"Loaded {len(watching)} watches")
+            self.datastore_path,
+            self.rehydrate_entity
+        ))
+        logger.debug(f"Loaded {len(self.__data['watching'])} watches")
 
     def _load_tags(self):
         """

changedetectionio/store/file_saving_datastore.py

@@ -207,15 +207,6 @@ def save_watch_atomic(watch_dir, uuid, watch_dict):
     save_entity_atomic(watch_dir, uuid, watch_dict, "watch.json", "watch", max_size_mb=10)
 
 
-def save_tag_atomic(tag_dir, uuid, tag_dict):
-    """
-    Save a tag to disk using atomic write pattern.
-
-    Convenience wrapper around save_entity_atomic for tags.
-    Kept for backwards compatibility.
-    """
-    save_entity_atomic(tag_dir, uuid, tag_dict, "tag.json", "tag", max_size_mb=1)
-
 
 def load_watch_from_file(watch_json, uuid, rehydrate_entity_func):
     """

changedetectionio/store/legacy_loader.py

@@ -1,66 +0,0 @@
-"""
-Legacy format loader for url-watches.json.
-
-Provides functions to detect and load from the legacy monolithic JSON format.
-Used during migration (update_26) to transition to individual watch.json files.
-"""
-
-import os
-import json
-from loguru import logger
-
-# Try to import orjson for faster JSON serialization
-try:
-    import orjson
-    HAS_ORJSON = True
-except ImportError:
-    HAS_ORJSON = False
-
-
-def has_legacy_datastore(datastore_path):
-    """
-    Check if a legacy url-watches.json file exists.
-
-    This is used by update_26 to determine if migration is needed.
-
-    Args:
-        datastore_path: Path to datastore directory
-
-    Returns:
-        bool: True if url-watches.json exists
-    """
-    url_watches_json = os.path.join(datastore_path, "url-watches.json")
-    return os.path.exists(url_watches_json)
-
-
-def load_legacy_format(json_store_path):
-    """
-    Load datastore from legacy url-watches.json format.
-
-    Args:
-        json_store_path: Full path to url-watches.json file
-
-    Returns:
-        dict: Loaded datastore data with 'watching', 'settings', etc.
-        None: If file doesn't exist or loading failed
-    """
-    logger.info(f"Loading from legacy format: {json_store_path}")
-
-    if not os.path.isfile(json_store_path):
-        logger.warning(f"Legacy file not found: {json_store_path}")
-        return None
-
-    try:
-        if HAS_ORJSON:
-            with open(json_store_path, 'rb') as f:
-                data = orjson.loads(f.read())
-        else:
-            with open(json_store_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
-                data = json.load(f)
-
-        logger.info(f"Loaded {len(data.get('watching', {}))} watches from legacy format")
-        return data
-
-    except Exception as e:
-        logger.error(f"Failed to load legacy format: {e}")
-        return None

changedetectionio/store/updates.py

@@ -16,12 +16,18 @@ import time
 from loguru import logger
 from copy import deepcopy
 
+
+# Try to import orjson for faster JSON serialization
+try:
+    import orjson
+    HAS_ORJSON = True
+except ImportError:
+    HAS_ORJSON = False
+
 from ..html_tools import TRANSLATE_WHITESPACE_TABLE
 from ..processors.restock_diff import Restock
 from ..blueprint.rss import RSS_CONTENT_FORMAT_DEFAULT
 from ..model import USE_SYSTEM_DEFAULT_NOTIFICATION_FORMAT_FOR_WATCH
-from .file_saving_datastore import save_watch_atomic
-
 
 def create_backup_tarball(datastore_path, update_number):
     """
@@ -97,7 +103,7 @@ def create_backup_tarball(datastore_path, update_number):
                     tar.add(tag_json, arcname=f"{entry}/tag.json")
                     tag_count += 1
 
-            logger.success(f"Backup created: {backup_filename} ({watch_count} watches, {tag_count} tags)")
+            logger.success(f"Backup created: {backup_filename} ({watch_count} watches from disk, {tag_count} tags from disk)")
             return backup_path
 
     except Exception as e:
@@ -137,6 +143,7 @@ class DatastoreUpdatesMixin:
         return updates_available
 
     def run_updates(self, current_schema_version=None):
+        import sys
         """
         Run all pending schema updates sequentially.
 
@@ -160,6 +167,23 @@ class DatastoreUpdatesMixin:
         4. All changes saved via individual .commit() calls
         """
         updates_available = self.get_updates_available()
+        if self.data.get('watching'):
+            test_watch = self.data['watching'].get(next(iter(self.data.get('watching', {}))))
+            from ..model.Watch import model
+
+            if not isinstance(test_watch, model):
+                import sys
+                logger.critical("Cannot run updates! Watch structure must be re-hydrated back to a Watch model object!")
+                sys.exit(1)
+
+        if self.data['settings']['application'].get('tags',{}):
+            test_tag = self.data['settings']['application'].get('tags',{}).get(next(iter(self.data['settings']['application'].get('tags',{}))))
+            from ..model.Tag import model as tag_model
+
+            if not isinstance(test_tag, tag_model):
+                import sys
+                logger.critical("Cannot run updates! Watch tag/group structure must be re-hydrated back to a Tag model object!")
+                sys.exit(1)
 
         # Determine current schema version
         if current_schema_version is None:
@@ -201,10 +225,9 @@ class DatastoreUpdatesMixin:
                 try:
                     update_method = getattr(self, f"update_{update_n}")()
                 except Exception as e:
-                    logger.error(f"Error while trying update_{update_n}")
+                    logger.critical(f"Error while trying update_{update_n}")
-                    logger.error(e)
+                    logger.exception(e)
-                    # Don't run any more updates
+                    sys.exit(1)
-                    return
                 else:
                     # Bump the version
                     self.data['settings']['application']['schema_version'] = update_n
@@ -555,27 +578,6 @@ class DatastoreUpdatesMixin:
         logger.critical("COPY-based migration: url-watches.json will remain intact for rollback")
         logger.critical("=" * 80)
 
-        # Check if already migrated
-        changedetection_json = os.path.join(self.datastore_path, "changedetection.json")
-        if os.path.exists(changedetection_json):
-            logger.info("Migration already completed (changedetection.json exists), skipping")
-            return
-
-        # Check if we need to load legacy data
-        from .legacy_loader import has_legacy_datastore, load_legacy_format
-
-        if not has_legacy_datastore(self.datastore_path):
-            logger.info("No legacy datastore found, nothing to migrate")
-            return
-
-        # Load legacy data from url-watches.json
-        logger.critical("Loading legacy datastore from url-watches.json...")
-        legacy_path = os.path.join(self.datastore_path, "url-watches.json")
-        legacy_data = load_legacy_format(legacy_path)
-
-        if not legacy_data:
-            raise Exception("Failed to load legacy datastore from url-watches.json")
-
         # Populate settings from legacy data
         logger.info("Populating settings from legacy data...")
         watch_count = len(self.data['watching'])
@@ -587,9 +589,7 @@ class DatastoreUpdatesMixin:
         saved_count = 0
         for uuid, watch in self.data['watching'].items():
             try:
-                watch_dict = dict(watch)
+                watch.commit()
-                watch_dir = os.path.join(self.datastore_path, uuid)
-                save_watch_atomic(watch_dir, uuid, watch_dict)
                 saved_count += 1
 
                 if saved_count % 100 == 0:
@@ -635,18 +635,19 @@ class DatastoreUpdatesMixin:
 
         # Phase 4: Verify settings file exists
         logger.critical("Phase 4/4: Verifying changedetection.json exists...")
+        changedetection_json_new_schema=os.path.join(self.datastore_path, "changedetection.json")
+        if not os.path.isfile(changedetection_json_new_schema):
+            import sys
+            logger.critical("Migration failed, changedetection.json not found after update ran!")
+            sys.exit(1)
 
-        if not os.path.isfile(changedetection_json):
-            raise Exception(
-                "Migration failed: changedetection.json not found after save. "
-                "url-watches.json remains intact, safe to retry."
-            )
 
         logger.critical("Phase 4 complete: Verified changedetection.json exists")
 
         # Success! Now reload from new format
         logger.critical("Reloading datastore from new format...")
-        self._load_state() # Includes load_watches
+        # write it to disk, it will be saved without ['watching'] in the JSON db because we find it from disk glob
+        self._save_settings()
         logger.success("Datastore reloaded from new format successfully")
         logger.critical("=" * 80)
         logger.critical("MIGRATION COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY!")
@@ -681,9 +682,11 @@ class DatastoreUpdatesMixin:
         - Enables independent tag versioning/backup
         - Maintains backwards compatibility (tags stay in settings too)
         """
+        # Force save as tag.json (not watch.json) even if object is corrupted
+
         logger.critical("=" * 80)
         logger.critical("Running migration: Individual tag persistence (update_28)")
-        logger.critical("Creating individual tag.json files (tags remain in settings too)")
+        logger.critical("Creating individual tag.json files")
         logger.critical("=" * 80)
 
         tags = self.data['settings']['application'].get('tags', {})
@@ -700,27 +703,8 @@ class DatastoreUpdatesMixin:
 
         for uuid, tag_data in tags.items():
             try:
-                # Force save as tag.json (not watch.json) even if object is corrupted
+                tag_data.commit()
-                from changedetectionio.store.file_saving_datastore import save_entity_atomic
-                import os
-
-                tag_dir = os.path.join(self.datastore_path, uuid)
-                os.makedirs(tag_dir, exist_ok=True)
-
-                # Convert to dict if it's an object
-                tag_dict = dict(tag_data) if hasattr(tag_data, '__iter__') else tag_data
-
-                # Save explicitly as tag.json
-                save_entity_atomic(
-                    tag_dir,
-                    uuid,
-                    tag_dict,
-                    filename='tag.json',
-                    entity_type='tag',
-                    max_size_mb=1
-                )
                 saved_count += 1
-
                 if saved_count % 10 == 0:
                     logger.info(f"  Progress: {saved_count}/{tag_count} tags migrated...")
 
@@ -737,5 +721,5 @@ class DatastoreUpdatesMixin:
         # On next load, _load_tags() will read from tag.json files and merge with settings
         logger.info("Tags saved to both settings AND individual tag.json files")
         logger.info("Future tag edits will update both locations (dual storage)")
+        logger.critical("=" * 80)
 
-        logger.critical("=" * 80)

changedetectionio/tests/test_group.py

@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ from flask import url_for
 from .util import live_server_setup, wait_for_all_checks, extract_rss_token_from_UI, get_UUID_for_tag_name, extract_UUID_from_client, delete_all_watches
 import os
 
+from ..store import ChangeDetectionStore
+
 
 # def test_setup(client, live_server, measure_memory_usage, datastore_path):
    #  live_server_setup(live_server) # Setup on conftest per function
@@ -487,7 +489,6 @@ def test_tag_json_persistence(client, live_server, measure_memory_usage, datasto
     - Tag deletion removes tag.json file
     """
     import json
-    from changedetectionio.store import ChangeDetectionStore
 
     datastore = client.application.config.get('DATASTORE')
 
@@ -569,9 +570,6 @@ def test_tag_json_migration_update_27(client, live_server, measure_memory_usage,
     This simulates a pre-update_27 datastore and verifies migration works.
     """
     import json
-    from changedetectionio.store import ChangeDetectionStore
-
-    datastore = client.application.config.get('DATASTORE')
 
     # 1. Create multiple tags
     tag_names = ['migration-tag-1', 'migration-tag-2', 'migration-tag-3']