A Test Data Management Strategy for Database Migrations

This article will help you understand the steps to better test data management, when using a migrations-based approach to database development and deployment. It explains the different types of data required and why, the need for separation of DDL and DML code, and the most efficient way to create, load and switch between the different required data sets. Read more

The Flyway Desktop CLI: Automate your Database Development Process

We'll explore the Flyway Desktop CLI, also known as "flyway-dev", its capabilities, and how we might use it to automate process of capturing the schema changes made to a development database and then generating a migration script to use in subsequent deployments of those changes. Read more

Infrequently Asked Questions About Flyway

You can have Flyway up and running in minutes if you're a solo developer managing a single database. However, as you seek to 'scale up' Flyway to accommodate more complex database systems, team-based development, and stricter quality controls, you'll need to tackle some knottier questions. Without adequate answers, tasks such as multi-database management, automation and workflow, and Continuous Integration will be difficult. Hopefully, this article will help. Read more

Managing PostgreSQL Extensions Using Flyway

Any reliable DevOps deployment process must not only deliver the right database code but also ensure that the correct conditions exist for the deployment to succeed. For PostgreSQL databases, this includes ensuring that any extensions on which the database code relies are installed, and at the correct version. Fortunately, Flyway will automatically track which extensions are installed on a database and at what version, so we can 'propagate' these changes accurately during deployments and avoid inconsistencies in database behavior and even application breakages. Read more

Using SSDT and DACPACs with Flyway: a Demonstration

The aim of this article is simply to demonstrate that you can use two DACPAC files, representing the source and target versions of a SQL Server database, to create a migration file that can then be used in Flyway. Read more

Database Monitoring for Developers

Database monitoring is an essential part of database development and testing because it will reveal problems early and allow you to drill down to the root cause, as well as look for any worrying trends in behavior of the database, when under load. If you are delaying doing this until a database is in production, you're doing it wrong. Read more

The Essential Tools for Standardizing SQL Server Database Development

To achieve rapid delivery of database functionality, database development must both support craftsmanship and incorporate the ideas of standardization and automation that allow for 'mass production'. This article explains how to achieve this 'balance' using the specialist database development tools in SQL Toolbelt Essentials. These tools allow database experts to work quickly and accurately, with structured and repeatable processes to ensure all required checks and coding standards are applied before delivery. Read more

Running Flyway Pre-Migration Checks on the Database

This article demonstrates how to run a preliminary check that issues a warning, or throws an error, if the conditions aren't met for a Flyway migration to succeed. It provides some example checks for PostgreSQL databases that use Flyway SQL callbacks to ensure the server is running the correct PostgreSQL version, or that the database has a required extension installed. Read more

Maintaining Variants of a Database using Flyway Locations

In this article, I'll explain why we often need to maintain variants of the same database, at a particular version. I'll demonstrate how useful variants can be for creating slightly modified installations of a database, for special uses, or even for the simple task of provisioning multiple copies of the same version. In doing so, I'll show how we can use Flyway locations to overcome problems that would otherwise require complicated solutions. Flyway can make the whole matter of maintaining database variants very easy. Read more

Storing Credentials Securely on a Windows-based Flyway Installation

This article demonstrates how to use PowerShell to fetch your login credentials from Windows Credential Manager and pipe them securely to Flyway without ever saving them in any form, such as in a file or environment variable. Read more

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