---
name: data-migration-scripts
description: >
  Create safe, reversible database migration scripts with rollback capabilities,
  data validation, and zero-downtime deployments. Use when changing database
  schemas, migrating data between systems, or performing large-scale data
  transformations.
---

# Data Migration Scripts

## Table of Contents

- [Overview](#overview)
- [When to Use](#when-to-use)
- [Quick Start](#quick-start)
- [Reference Guides](#reference-guides)
- [Best Practices](#best-practices)

## Overview

Create robust, safe, and reversible data migration scripts for database schema changes and data transformations with minimal downtime.

## When to Use

- Database schema changes
- Adding/removing/modifying columns
- Migrating between database systems
- Data transformations and cleanup
- Splitting or merging tables
- Changing data types
- Adding indexes and constraints
- Backfilling data
- Multi-tenant data migrations

## Quick Start

Minimal working example:

```typescript
import { Knex } from "knex";

// migrations/20240101000000_add_user_preferences.ts
export async function up(knex: Knex): Promise<void> {
  // Create new table
  await knex.schema.createTable("user_preferences", (table) => {
    table.uuid("id").primary().defaultTo(knex.raw("gen_random_uuid()"));
    table
      .uuid("user_id")
      .notNullable()
      .references("id")
      .inTable("users")
      .onDelete("CASCADE");
    table.jsonb("preferences").defaultTo("{}");
    table.timestamp("created_at").defaultTo(knex.fn.now());
    table.timestamp("updated_at").defaultTo(knex.fn.now());

    table.index("user_id");
  });

  // Migrate existing data
  await knex.raw(`
    INSERT INTO user_preferences (user_id, preferences)
    SELECT id, jsonb_build_object(
      'theme', COALESCE(theme, 'light'),
// ... (see reference guides for full implementation)
```

## Reference Guides

Detailed implementations in the `references/` directory:

| Guide | Contents |
|---|---|
| [Knex.js Migrations (Node.js)](references/knexjs-migrations-nodejs.md) | Knex.js Migrations (Node.js) |
| [Alembic Migrations (Python/SQLAlchemy)](references/alembic-migrations-pythonsqlalchemy.md) | Alembic Migrations (Python/SQLAlchemy) |
| [Large Data Migration with Batching](references/large-data-migration-with-batching.md) | Large Data Migration with Batching |
| [Zero-Downtime Migration Pattern](references/zero-downtime-migration-pattern.md) | Zero-Downtime Migration Pattern |
| [Migration Validation](references/migration-validation.md) | Migration Validation |
| [Cross-Database Migration](references/cross-database-migration.md) | Cross-Database Migration |

## Best Practices

### ✅ DO

- Always write both `up` and `down` migrations
- Test migrations on production-like data
- Use transactions for atomic operations
- Process large datasets in batches
- Add indexes after data insertion
- Validate data after migration
- Log progress and errors
- Use feature flags for application code changes
- Back up database before running migrations
- Test rollback procedures
- Document migration side effects
- Version control all migrations
- Use idempotent operations

### ❌ DON'T

- Run untested migrations on production
- Make breaking changes without backwards compatibility
- Process millions of rows in single transaction
- Skip rollback implementation
- Ignore migration failures
- Modify old migrations
- Delete data without backups
- Run migrations manually in production