Keeping a bunch of database schemas synchronized can be a real challenge. If you try doing it by hand, life is going to be difficult. Fortunately for PHP developers, Doctrine Migrations provides an easily scriptable solution, even if your project doesn't use the Doctrine ORM.

1. KeepingA Bunch of
DatabaseSchemas
Synchronized
What we’ve learned about Doctrine Migrations

2. Docker
Dev
Test
Live
The Problem:
Lots of Databases

3. Docker
Dev
Test
Live
Non-Solution
ManualChanges

4. An EasierWay
Doctrine Migrations
Docker Dev Test Live

5. Where we
are using it
SMART IRB Exchange
eSMART

6. How it works
Generate a new migration file
Write SQL scripts
Version20170512192814.php
Execute the migration
Doctrine records the update
20170512192814

7. Generating the
migration file
php bin/migrations.php generate
app/console doctrine:migrations:generateSymfony
Stand Alone

8. Writing the
SQL

9. Executing the
migration
php bin/migrations.php migrate
php bin/migrations.php execute 2017051080718 --down
Up
Down
app/console doctrine:migrations:migrate
app/console doctrine:migrations:execute 2017051080718 --down

10. KeepingTrack
The Database The Directory

11. That’s the
basics Generate Execute TrackCode
Questions?

12. Lessons
Learned
 Challenges in multi-developer situations
 Try to avoid using execute --up and execute --down
 DM tries to use symfony EM defined in config.yml for connection
 Use --db-configuration=/path/to/file to specify
separate credentials
 Even better, create a wrapper script and use Env.php to detect
environment and load correct credentials

13. Example
WrapperScript

14. Complex
Migrations
You can access the
PDO connection using
$this->connection

15. Is Doctrine
Migrations
worth it?

16. References
Doctrine Migrations Documentation
• http://www.doctrine-project.org/projects/migrations.html
Article on using stand-alone Doctrine Migrations
• https://akrabat.com/using-doctrine-migrations-outside-of-doctrine-
orm-or-symfony/
Notes for inclusion in SMART IRB Exchange
• https://github.com/vanderbilt/irbshare/wiki/Using-Doctrine-
Migrations