migration

To generate Alembic migrations automatically, update your SQLAlchemy models and run make generate NAME to trigger Alembic autogenerate. Review the autogenerated migration file, apply it with make upgrade, and commit all changes together.

The safest workflow for schema changes involves updating SQLAlchemy models first, generating a migration via the Makefile and Alembic autogenerate, reviewing the file, and applying it with make upgrade before committing. This prevents error-prone handwritten migrations.

You should use Alembic autogenerate instead of writing migrations manually because handwritten migrations are often error-prone. Enforcing generation through the Makefile standardizes the workflow, preventing ad-hoc edits and ensuring consistent versioning.

Yes, Alembic autogenerate supports schema changes across models including adding or removing columns, indexes, and table alterations. Update the SQLAlchemy models and related types first, then generate the migration with make generate NAME.

A key limitation is that Alembic autogenerate requires you to review and adjust the autogenerated file before applying it. You must also manually update SQLAlchemy models and related types first, as the tool standardizes generation rather than writing migrations from scratch.

To apply a generated Alembic migration, run make upgrade after reviewing the autogenerated file. Once the database schema is updated successfully, commit all model and migration changes together in a single step for safe versioning.