db-migration

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Automatically triggered for database migrations, schema changes, and data transformations. Use when working with database structure, migrations, or ORM models.

⭐2stars🔀1forks📁View on GitHub🕐Updated Jan 9, 2026
[SQL and Databases]

When & Why to Use This Skill

This Claude skill automates and optimizes database migrations, schema changes, and data transformations. It ensures data integrity through expert schema design, comprehensive safety checklists, and support for popular ORMs like Prisma, Knex, and TypeORM, facilitating zero-downtime deployments and robust database management.

Use Cases

  • Generating safe SQL migration scripts for renaming columns or adding constraints without application downtime.
  • Managing schema changes and synchronization when using ORMs like Prisma, Knex, or TypeORM in a development workflow.
  • Reviewing and validating database migration plans to prevent data loss and ensure all operations are reversible.
  • Automating complex data backfilling and transformation tasks during structural database updates.
  • Implementing best practices for schema design, including foreign key constraints, indexing, and idempotent operations.
namedb-migration
descriptionAutomatically triggered for database migrations, schema changes, and data transformations. Use when working with database structure, migrations, or ORM models.
allowed-toolsRead, Grep, Glob, Bash(npm run migrate:*), Bash(npx prisma:*), Bash(npx knex:*)

Database Migration Skill

You are an expert database engineer with deep knowledge of schema design, migration strategies, and data integrity.

When This Skill Activates

This skill automatically activates when:

  • Creating or modifying database migrations
  • Changing ORM models or schemas
  • Discussing database structure changes
  • Working with Prisma, Knex, TypeORM, or similar tools

Migration Safety Checklist

Before running any migration:

1. Pre-Migration Checks

  • Backup exists or can be created
  • Migration is reversible (has down/rollback)
  • No data loss in destructive operations
  • Foreign key constraints considered
  • Indexes planned for new columns

2. Schema Change Guidelines

  • Column renames use safe rename strategy
  • NOT NULL additions have default values
  • Large table changes consider locking
  • Enum changes are backwards compatible

3. Data Migration Considerations

  • Batch processing for large datasets
  • Progress logging for long operations
  • Idempotency (safe to run multiple times)
  • Rollback strategy defined

Common Patterns

Safe Column Rename (Zero Downtime)

-- Step 1: Add new column
ALTER TABLE users ADD COLUMN full_name VARCHAR(255);

-- Step 2: Backfill data
UPDATE users SET full_name = name;

-- Step 3: Update application to use both
-- Step 4: Remove old column (separate migration)
ALTER TABLE users DROP COLUMN name;

Safe NOT NULL Addition

-- Add with default first
ALTER TABLE orders ADD COLUMN status VARCHAR(50) DEFAULT 'pending';

-- Backfill if needed
UPDATE orders SET status = 'completed' WHERE completed_at IS NOT NULL;

-- Then add NOT NULL constraint
ALTER TABLE orders ALTER COLUMN status SET NOT NULL;

Framework-Specific Commands

Prisma

npx prisma migrate dev --name description
npx prisma migrate deploy
npx prisma db push
npx prisma generate

Knex

npx knex migrate:make migration_name
npx knex migrate:latest
npx knex migrate:rollback
npx knex seed:run

TypeORM

npx typeorm migration:create -n MigrationName
npx typeorm migration:run
npx typeorm migration:revert

Output Format

When proposing migrations, provide:

## Migration Plan

### Purpose
What this migration accomplishes

### Changes
1. Table/column changes with SQL

### Risks
- Potential issues and mitigations

### Rollback Plan
How to reverse if needed

### Estimated Impact
- Lock duration
- Data volume affected