(Make this CW if needed)
We are two developers working on a web application based (PHP5, ZF, Doctrine, MySQL5). We are working each with a local webserver and a local database. The database schema is defined in a YAML file.
What’s the best way to keep our database schemas in sync?
Here’s how we do it: Whenever developer “A” makes a change, he generates a migration class. Then he commits the migration file developer “B” executes the migration class.
But creating a migration class on every db change is a rather tedious process.
Do you have a better solution?
I don’t know how you do in the Zend Framework with Doctrine. Here’s how I would do it in Symfony with Propel. Though the exact procedure may vary, but the underlying concept is the same.
I have unit tests on my DAL.
Whenever the schema changes, we check in the yml and the generated ORM code ( You do have a source control, don’t you). I set the check-in to auto-mode, meaning I will get all the check-in instantly.
If the schema changes don’t affect my thing, then I would just ignore the changes. But if the schema changes break my thing, then I will rebuild my form, ORM classes and whatnot by using symfony propel build command. Rebuilding those infrastructures is just a single command line thing, so there is no problem for me.
Finally, after rebuilding, I will run my unit tests, to make sure everything is OK. If not, I better get them fixed!