Dictionary term
Database Migration
Also called migration · schema migration
A versioned script that changes a database schema (for example adding a table or column), kept in source control and applied in order so every environment ends up with the same structure.
In plain English
A saved, step-by-step instruction for changing the database's structure, so the change can be repeated safely everywhere.
Analogy
Like numbered renovation work orders: each one is applied once, in order, on every copy of the building.
Why it matters
Migrations let you change a live database without hand-editing production, and give you a reviewable history of every structural change.
In practice
You run supabase migration new add_lead_source, write the ALTER TABLE in the generated SQL file, test it locally, then apply it to production from CI.
Related terms
Sources
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