gh-ost: GitHub’s Online Schema Migration Tool

Repository Overview

gh-ost is a MySQL online schema migration tool developed by GitHub designed to handle schema changes on live MySQL databases without locking tables. This tool is widely recognized for its robustness and flexibility in managing large-scale schema migrations with minimal impact on production environments. It caters to database administrators, backend engineers, and DevOps teams looking to manage database changes smoothly and efficiently.

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Information compiled in September 2024 is subject to change:

• Stars on GitHub: 12.3K
• Forks: 1.2K
• Contributors: 85
• Last Update: August 2024

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Core Features and Benefits

Online Schema Migration: Provides a non-blocking schema migration process for MySQL, allowing schema changes without downtime or table locking.

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Controlled Throttling: Enables controlled throttling of migration processes based on replication lag, I/O load, and other server metrics, ensuring minimal impact on production databases.

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Advanced Cutover Mechanism: Features an advanced cutover mechanism that gracefully switches from old to new schema with minimal data loss and downtime.

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Safety Mechanisms: Built-in safety checks to prevent destructive operations, making schema migrations safer and more predictable.

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Automation Ready: Fully scriptable with integration possibilities into CI/CD pipelines, making it ideal for automated workflows.

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Benefits for Developers:

• Simplifies the process of applying schema changes without extensive manual interventions.
• Reduces the risks associated with schema migrations in production environments.

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Benefits for Business Stakeholders:

• Minimizes downtime during critical schema changes, maintaining service availability and customer satisfaction.
• Enables faster iteration and deployment of new features that require schema changes, driving business agility.

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Use Cases

Live Database Schema Migrations: DevOps teams use gh-ost for zero-downtime schema changes on live databases, ensuring high availability.

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Scaling Database Infrastructure: Organizations leverage gh-ost to scale their database infrastructure with minimal risk, applying schema changes during traffic peaks or heavy loads.

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Automated Deployment Pipelines: Backend engineers integrate gh-ost into CI/CD pipelines to automate database schema changes during the deployment process.

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Disaster Recovery Planning: Businesses utilize gh-ost to replicate schema changes across multiple databases in different environments for disaster recovery.

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Getting Started Guide

To get started with gh-ost:

Install gh-ost: Follow the instructions in the gh-ost documentation to install it on your system.‍

Prepare Your Migration Command.

gh-ost --host=<your-host> --user=<your-user> --password=<your-password> \
--database=<your-database> --table=<your-table> --alter="ADD COLUMN your_new_column INT" \
--execute

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Monitor the Migration: Use gh-ost’s verbose output and monitoring capabilities to track the migration process in real time.

Community and Support

GitHub Issues: Engage with the community and developers by reporting issues, suggesting features, or seeking help.

Documentation: The repository includes extensive documentation covering all aspects of usage, troubleshooting, and advanced configurations.

Community Contributions: Users are encouraged to contribute by submitting pull requests, sharing their use cases, or improving documentation.

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Integration Possibilities

gh-ost integrates seamlessly into CI/CD workflows, DevOps pipelines, and automated deployment systems. It is also compatible with MySQL-compatible databases like MariaDB, enhancing its flexibility for various database environments.

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Performance and Scalability

Performance: Optimized to handle large-scale migrations with minimal resource overhead and impact on live traffic.

Scalability: Suitable for both small-scale applications and large, high-traffic databases, ensuring reliable schema migrations.

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Licensing and Security Considerations

Licensing: gh-ost is distributed under the MIT License, allowing for flexible use, modification, and distribution.

Security: It includes several built-in safety checks and throttling mechanisms to prevent potentially destructive actions, making it a secure choice for schema migrations.

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Maintenance and Longevity

gh-ost is actively maintained by GitHub and the community, with a focus on stability and performance improvements. Regular updates ensure compatibility with the latest MySQL versions and new features.

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Alternatives and Comparisons

Percona Toolkit: Offers a similar set of tools for MySQL schema changes, but gh-ost is often preferred for its non-blocking approach and easier integration with CI/CD pipelines.

Skeema: A schema management tool that works well for managing schema definitions but may not provide the same level of online migration capabilities as gh-ost.

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Our Recommendation

Why choose gh-ost? If your organization requires a reliable, non-blocking MySQL schema migration tool that minimizes downtime and ensures data integrity, gh-ost is an outstanding choice. It provides robust safety checks, controlled throttling, and automation readiness, making it ideal for DevOps teams and database administrators managing live database environments, from small startups to large-scale enterprises.