# db migrate (/docs/cli/db-migrate)

Apply pending Prisma ORM migrations.

Location: CLI > db migrate

`db migrate` applies pending on-disk migrations to advance the database. It walks every contract space (app and extensions) and applies migrations in canonical order: extensions alphabetically, then the app. It applies only the migrations that exist on disk and never generates new operations.

Use it from a controlled deployment step after reviewing migration packages.

## Usage

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma db migrate --db "$DATABASE_URL"
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm prisma db migrate --db "$DATABASE_URL"
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn prisma db migrate --db "$DATABASE_URL"
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma db migrate --db "$DATABASE_URL"
```

## Options

| Option                 | What it does                                                                                                                                                           |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `--db <url>`           | Connects to the database.                                                                                                                                              |
| `--to <contract>`      | Applies migrations up to a target contract (hash, prefix, ref name, migration directory name, `<dir>^`, or `./path`).                                                  |
| `--advance-ref <name>` | Advances the named [ref](/guides/migration-migration-ref) to the post-apply marker after success.                                                                      |
| `--show`               | Previews the migration route without applying (read-only).                                                                                                             |
| `--from <contract>`    | Sets the from-state for the `--show` preview: `@contract` (the emitted contract), `@db` (the database's current marker), a hash, a ref name, or a migration directory. |
| `--config <path>`      | Read this config file instead of `./prisma.config.ts`.                                                                                                                 |
| `--json`               | Prints a machine-readable result.                                                                                                                                      |

## Recommended flow

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma migration status --db "$DATABASE_URL"
bunx prisma db migrate --db "$DATABASE_URL"
bunx prisma migration status --db "$DATABASE_URL"
bunx prisma db verify --db "$DATABASE_URL"
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm prisma migration status --db "$DATABASE_URL"
pnpm prisma db migrate --db "$DATABASE_URL"
pnpm prisma migration status --db "$DATABASE_URL"
pnpm prisma db verify --db "$DATABASE_URL"
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn prisma migration status --db "$DATABASE_URL"
yarn prisma db migrate --db "$DATABASE_URL"
yarn prisma migration status --db "$DATABASE_URL"
yarn prisma db verify --db "$DATABASE_URL"
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma migration status --db "$DATABASE_URL"
npx prisma db migrate --db "$DATABASE_URL"
npx prisma migration status --db "$DATABASE_URL"
npx prisma db verify --db "$DATABASE_URL"
```

Run `migration status` before and after applying migrations to see what changed.

## Previewing the route

`--show` prints the route `db migrate` would take without touching the database:

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma db migrate --show
bunx prisma db migrate --show --from @contract --to production
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm prisma db migrate --show
pnpm prisma db migrate --show --from @contract --to production
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn prisma db migrate --show
yarn prisma db migrate --show --from @contract --to production
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma db migrate --show
npx prisma db migrate --show --from @contract --to production
```

## Applying to a target

If your project uses named [refs](/guides/migration-migration-ref), apply up to a target ref:

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma db migrate --db "$DATABASE_URL" --to production
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm prisma db migrate --db "$DATABASE_URL" --to production
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn prisma db migrate --db "$DATABASE_URL" --to production
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma db migrate --db "$DATABASE_URL" --to production
```

Manage refs with [`migration ref`](/guides/migration-migration-ref).

## Related pages

- [`auth`](/guides/platform-auth): Sign in to your Prisma account from the CLI, sign out, and manage workspace sessions.
- [`branch`](/guides/platform-branch): List platform branches for a project.
- [`bucket`](/guides/platform-bucket): Create and manage object-store buckets.
- [`Configuration`](/guides/introduction-6-configuration): Configure Prisma ORM CLI commands with prisma.config.ts and global flags.
- [`contract emit`](/guides/orm-contract-emit): Emit Prisma ORM contract artifacts.

## Related pages

- [Authentication & Tools](./authentication-tools-index.md)
- [Build](./build-index.md)
- [Changelog](../changelog.md)
- [Concepts](./concepts-index.md)
- [Console commands](./console-commands-index.md)
- [Contract Authoring](./contract-authoring-index.md)
- [Core Concepts](./core-concepts-index.md)
- [Data Modeling](./data-modeling-index.md)
- [Database](./database-index.md)
- [DB commands](./db-commands-index.md)

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