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What is it

Alembic is a lightweight database migration tool that manages database schema changes over time. Think of it as “version control for your database” - it tracks changes and lets you upgrade or rollback your database structure safely.

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Why we use it

The Launchpad uses Alembic because it integrates seamlessly with our SQLAlchemy models, automatically detects schema changes, and ensures all environments stay synchronized.

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Where we use it

We use Alembic for all database schema changes in the project. Here’s how it works: Basic Commands:
  • Create Migration: ./makemigration.sh
  • Apply Migration: ./migrate.sh
Complete Workflow:
  1. Modify your SQLAlchemy model (e.g., in database/event.py)
  2. Generate migration: ./makemigration.sh → Enter migration message
  3. Review the generated migration in alembic/versions/
  4. Apply the migration: ./migrate.sh
For Alembic to detect your models, you must import them in alembic/env.py
# alembic/env.py
from database.session import Base
from database.event import *     # Import Event model
from database.user import *      # Import User model  
from database.workflow import *  # Import all other models
Project Structure: 
app/
├── alembic.ini            # Alembic configuration
├── alembic/
│   ├── env.py             # Environment setup (import models here!)
│   └── versions/          # Generated migration files
├── makemigration.sh       # Create migrations
└── migrate.sh             # Apply migrations
Development Commands:
  • Apply migrations: ./migrate.sh
  • Check current version: alembic current
  • View history: alembic history
  • Rollback: alembic downgrade -1
Always review generated migrations before applying - autogenerate is smart but not perfect!

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Further Reading

For advanced Alembic features and detailed configuration options, refer to the official Alembic documentation.
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