db-migrate vs pt-online-schema-change
db-migrate
github.compt-online-schema-change
docs.percona.comSide by side
| Figure | db-migrate | pt-online-schema-change |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Database Migration Tools | 8.5 (#5) | 7.5 (#21) |
| License | The project is distributed under the MIT License. | The program is free software under either the GNU General Public License version 2 or the Perl Artistic License. |
| Purpose | db-migrate describes itself as a database migration framework for Node.js. | pt-online-schema-change alters MySQL table structures without blocking reads or writes by building and populating a copy of the table, then replacing the original. |
| Support | The repository invites users to seek project support through backer and sponsor contributions. | Percona says its Community Forum service is free and response times vary with the complexity of the question. |
Plans
pt-online-schema-change
- Percona Toolkit (includes pt-online-schema-change)Free
In their own words
db-migrate
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.
pt-online-schema-change
pt-online-schema-change has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.