Open-Source Databases · skeema

skeema

Skeema is a declarative schema management tool for MySQL and MariaDB that lets teams version-control database schemas as SQL files, auto-generate safe DDL changes, and manage multi-environment deployments through a git-based workflow. The Community edition (Apache 2.0) handles tables and stored routines; a paid Premium tier adds views, triggers, events, and Windows support.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/skeema/skeema

1.4k

GitHub stars

105

Forks

Primary language

Apache-2.0

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	skeema/skeema
Owner	skeema
Primary language	Go
License	Apache-2.0 — OSI-approved
Stars	1.4k
Forks	105
Open issues	15
Latest release	v1.14.0 (2026-06-25)
Last updated	2026-07-06
Source	https://github.com/skeema/skeema

What skeema is

Built in Go, Skeema performs bidirectional schema diffs between a declarative SQL repository and live databases, generates idempotent DDL, integrates with online schema change tools (pt-online-schema-change, gh-ost), and includes 20+ configurable linter rules for schema validation. It supports pull-request-driven workflows with well-defined exit codes for CI/CD automation.

Quickstart

Get the skeema source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/skeema/skeema.git2cd skeema3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

Multi-environment schema synchronization

Teams managing dev, staging, and production databases can version all schemas in git, review changes through PRs, and safely apply consistent DDL across environments with built-in safety guardrails and conditional OSC tool configuration.

Schema governance and policy enforcement

Organizations can enforce company-wide schema design policies using 20+ linter rules, apply them in CI pipelines, and maintain audit trails of all schema changes through git history—ideal for compliance-heavy or large engineering organizations.

Non-disruptive schema migrations at scale

Teams running large production tables can integrate online schema change tools conditionally (by table size, environment, schema) and leverage Skeema's battle-tested DDL generation to execute ALTER TABLE operations without downtime.

Implementation considerations

Requires direct database access with appropriate DDL privileges (CREATE, ALTER, DROP); review database permission model and credential rotation strategy before deployment.
Community edition covers tables and routines; audit which object types (views, triggers, events) your schema uses to determine if Premium edition is needed.
Skeema auto-generates DDL; establish code review practices and testing procedures for schema diffs before applying to production, especially for destructive operations.
Integrating online schema change tools (pt-online-schema-change, gh-ost) requires those tools installed and tested in your environment; configuration is conditional and schema-aware.
Pull-request workflow requires buy-in from DBA and engineering teams; plan change governance, approval processes, and rollback procedures upfront.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

Need to manage non-MySQL/MariaDB databases — Skeema is purpose-built for MySQL and MariaDB only. If your stack includes PostgreSQL, SQL Server, or other RDBMS, you will need a different tool.
Require Windows support in Community edition — Community edition builds are Linux and macOS only. Windows support requires purchase of the Premium edition.
Need full object coverage in open-source tier — Community edition omits views, triggers, events, seed data, and enhanced TLS. If these features are critical, Premium edition is required.
Prefer imperative, script-based migrations — Skeema's declarative model is fundamentally different from tools like Flyway or Liquibase. Teams heavily invested in imperative migration scripts may face adoption friction.

License & commercial use

Skeema Community Edition is licensed under Apache License 2.0, a permissive OSI-approved license. Full text is included in the repository. The license permits commercial use, modification, and distribution, provided original copyright and license notices are retained and liability is disclaimed.

Apache 2.0 is a permissive license that explicitly permits commercial use without requiring a commercial license agreement. However, the tool itself is community software; production support, SLAs, and enterprise indemnification are not part of the Community Edition. For mission-critical deployments, evaluate the Premium edition or contact the maintainers at Index Hint LLC for commercial support terms.

DEV.co evaluation signals

Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.

Signal	Assessment
Maintenance	Active
Documentation	Strong
License clarity	Clear
Deployment complexity	Low
DEV.co fit	Strong
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

Skeema requires database credentials and direct DDL execution privileges; apply least-privilege principles to database users. Credentials should be managed via environment variables or secrets managers, never in git. The tool performs schema diffs locally before execution; review generated DDL before applying to production, especially in high-security environments. No claim of security audit or vulnerability disclosure process is documented; assess your organization's risk tolerance. Database connection security depends on TLS/SSL configuration (Community edition has basic support; Premium offers enhanced TLS with client certs and CA verification).

Alternatives to consider

Flyway

Imperative, SQL-based migrations with strong PostgreSQL/multi-DB support. Better for teams preferring explicit, version-controlled migration scripts over declarative schema diffing.

Liquibase

Multi-database, XML/YAML/SQL-based change sets with rich rollback and approval workflow features. Larger ecosystem but steeper learning curve and more complex config.

pt-online-schema-change (Percona)

Lower-level OSC tool for MySQL/MariaDB; used by Skeema itself. Requires manual DDL scripting but offers maximum control for teams already comfortable with imperative MySQL tooling.

Software development agency

Build on skeema with DEV.co software developers

Skeema combines git-based version control, safe DDL generation, and policy enforcement for MySQL/MariaDB. Assess Community edition fit (tables, routines, Linux/macOS) versus Premium features (views, triggers, events, Windows, TLS enhancements). Contact us to plan deployment, integration with your CI/CD, and credential management strategy.

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skeema FAQ

Does Community edition support views, triggers, and events?

No. Community edition is limited to tables and stored routines (procedures/functions). Views, triggers, events, and seed data management require the Premium edition.

Can I use Skeema with a pull-request workflow?

Yes. Skeema is designed for PR-driven workflows: export or modify schema files, commit to a feature branch, create a PR, review the generated DDL diff, and merge/apply after approval. This is a core use case.

What database privileges does Skeema need?

Skeema requires CREATE, ALTER, DROP, and SELECT privileges on the target schemas. For automated diff and linting, it only needs SELECT. Consult the requirements documentation for your specific use case.

Is there commercial support available?

The Community edition is community-supported. Index Hint LLC (the creator) offers a Premium edition with additional features and implied support. Direct commercial support terms are not documented in the public repo; contact skeema.io for details.

Software development & web development with DEV.co

DEV.co is a software development agency delivering custom software development services to companies building on open source. Our software developers and web developers design, integrate, and ship production systems — spanning web development, APIs, AI, data, and cloud. If skeema is part of your open-source databases roadmap, our team can implement, customize, migrate, and maintain it.

Evaluate Skeema for your schema governance needs

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