db-migrate vs Evolve

db-migrate is a free, open-source database migration framework for Node.js applications. It runs on Linux and can be self-hosted. The command-line interface provides up, down, reset, create, and db commands for applying, rolling back, resetting, creating, and managing migrations. Supported databases listed by the project include MySQL, PostgreSQL, sqlite3, MongoDB, and CockroachDB, with database drivers installed separately. Migration files support callback-based or promise-based interfaces, while the --sql-file option creates separate SQL files for migration-up and migration-down statements. Applied migrations are recorded in a migrations table. Environment settings can come from database.json, with command-line choices for the environment and configuration file. Database usernames and passwords can reference environment variables. Global and local npm installation are documented. Node.js 24 and newer are officially supported; package metadata specifies version 8.0.0 or later. Rollback is supported, and the format is mixed.

Evolve is a free, open-source database migration tool that applies plain SQL scripts to synchronize changes across environments and development teams, including continuous integration and delivery. It is available as a .NET library, .NET tool, or standalone CLI. Listed databases include PostgreSQL, SQL Server, SQLite, MySQL, MariaDB, Cassandra, and CockroachDB. Versioned migrations run once; repeatable migrations run again when their contents change. Evolve records migration names and checksums in a metadata table and checks them whenever it runs. Commands are migrate, erase, repair, and info. Each migration normally uses its own transaction, while TransactionMode can group scripts for commit or rollback. Cluster mode uses a session-level lock to coordinate nodes. The standalone CLI supports x64 Windows and Linux without external dependencies. The library requires .NET 4.7.2+ or .NET Standard 2.0/.NET 5.0; the tool requires .NET Core SDK 3.0 or later.