Implementing Database Migrations to Badgeyay
Badgeyay project is divided into two parts i.e front-end of Ember JS and back-end with REST-API programmed in Python.
We have integrated PostgreSQL as the object-relational database in Badgeyay and we are using SQLAlchemy SQL Toolkit and Object Relational Mapper tools for working with databases and Python. As we have Flask microframework for Python, so we are having Flask-SQLAlchemy as an extension for Flask that adds support for SQLAlchemy to work with the ORM.
One of the challenging jobs is to manage changes we make to the models and propagate these changes in the database. For this purpose, I have added Added Migrations to Flask SQLAlchemy for handling database changes using the Flask-Migrate extension.
In this blog, I will be discussing how I added Migrations to Flask SQLAlchemy for handling Database changes using the Flask-Migrate extension in my Pull Request.
First, Let’s understand Database Models, Migrations, and Flask Migrate extension. Then we will move onto adding migrations using Flask-Migrate. Let’s get started and understand it step by step.
What are Database Models?
A Database model defines the logical design and structure of a database which includes the relationships and constraints that determine how data can be stored and accessed. Presently, we are having a User and file Models in the project.
What are Migrations?
Database migration is a process, which usually includes assessment, database schema conversion. Migrations enable us to manipulate modifications we make to the models and propagate these adjustments in the database. For example, if later on, we make a change to a field in one of the models, all we will want to do is create and do a migration, and the database will replicate the change.
What is Flask Migrate?
Flask-Migrate is an extension that handles SQLAlchemy database migrations for Flask applications using Alembic. The database operations are made available through the Flask command-line interface or through the Flask-Script extension.
Now let’s add support for migration in Badgeyay.
Step 1 :
pip install flask-migrate
Step 2 :
We will need to edit run.py and it will look like this :
import os from flask import Flask from flask_migrate import Migrate // Imported Flask Migrate from api.db import db from api.config import config ...... db.init_app(app) migrate = Migrate(app, db) // It will allow us to run migrations ...... @app.before_first_request def create_tables(): db.create_all() if __name__ == '__main__': app.run()
Step 3 :
Creation of Migration Directory.
export FLASK_APP=run.py flask db init
This will create Migration Directory in the backend API folder.
└── migrations
├── README
├── alembic.ini
├── env.py
├── script.py.mako
└── versions
Step 4 :
We will do our first Migration by the following command.
flask db migrate
Step 5 :
We will apply the migrations by the following command.
flask db upgrade
Now we are all done with setting up Migrations to Flask SQLAlchemy for handling database changes in the badgeyay repository. We can verify the Migration by checking the database tables in the Database.
This is how I have added Migrations to Flask SQLAlchemy for handling Database changes using the Flask-Migrate extension in my Pull Request.
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