# Database Migration This tutorial explains the database migration process in nim-waku. # Contributors Guide ## Database Migration Flow Nim-waku utilizes the built-in `user_version` variable that Sqlite provides for tracking the database versions. The [user_version](https://github.com/waku-org/nwaku/blob/master/waku/waku_archive/driver/sqlite_driver/migrations.nim) MUST be bumped up for every update on the database e.g, table schema/title change. Each update should be accompanied by a migration script to move the content of the old version of the database to the new version. The script MUST be added to the respective folder as explained in [Migration Folder Structure](#migration-folder-structure) with the proper naming as given in [ Migration Script Naming](#migration-file-naming). The migration is invoked whenever the database `user_version` is behind the target [user_version](https://github.com/waku-org/nwaku/blob/master/waku/waku_archive/driver/sqlite_driver/migrations.nim) indicated in the nim-waku application. The respective migration scripts located in the [migrations folder](https://github.com/waku-org/nwaku/tree/master/migrations) will be executed to upgrade the database from its old version to the target version. ## Migration Folder Structure The [migrations folder](https://github.com/waku-org/nwaku/tree/master/migrations) is structured as below. ``` migrations/ ├── message_store │   ├── 00001_addMessageTable.up.sql │   ├── 00002_addSenderTimeStamp.up.sql │   ├── ... └── peer_store └── 00001_addPeerTable.up.sql ``` The migration scripts are managed in two separate folders `message_store` and `peer_store`. The `message_store` folder contains the migration scripts related to the message store tables. Similarly, the `peer_store` folder contains the scripts relevant to the peer store tables. ## Migration File Naming The files in [migrations folder](https://github.com/waku-org/nwaku/tree/master/migrations) MUST follow the following naming style in order to be properly included in the migration process. Files with invalid naming will be eliminated from the migration process. `_..sql` - `version number`: This number should match the target value of `user_version`. - `migration script description`: A short description of what the migration script does. - `up|down`: One of the keywords of `up` or `down` should be selected. `up` stands for upgrade and `down` means downgrade. ### Example A migration file with the name `00002_addTableX.up.sql` should be interpreted as: - `00002`: The targeted `user_version` number. - `addTableX`: What the script does. - `up`: This script `upgrade`s the database from `user_version = 00001` to the `user_version = 00002`. A downgrade migration file corresponding to the `00002_addTableX.up.sql` can be e.g., `00001_removeTableX.down.sql` and should be interpreted as: - `00001`: The targeted `user_version` number. - `removeTableX`: What the script does. - `down`: This script `downgrade`s the database from `user_version = 00002` to the `user_version = 00001`. There can be more than one migration file for the same `user_version`. The migration process will consider all such files while upgrading/downgrading the database. Note that currently we **DO NOT** support **down migration**. # User Guide Migrations work out of the box. However, if you want to be extra sure, please take a backup of the SQLite database prior to upgrading your nim-waku version since we currently don't support downgrades of DB.