Database Migration Strategies

Database migration strategies cover the patterns and tools for modifying production database schemas without downtime. This includes migration frameworks (Prisma Migrate, Flyway, Alembic), zero-downtime patterns (expand-contract), data backfills, and rollback strategies. Schema changes are among the riskiest operations in production systems. Understanding how to make them safe, reversible, and non-blocking is essential for any backend developer working on evolving applications.