State-based database delivery stores SQL scripts describing the desired database schema in source control. During deployment, a comparison tool examines the production database and generates the changes needed to match that target state. section 10.1
The approach makes the database state explicit while leaving the transition implicit:
- A model database is represented by scripts that create its tables, views, indexes, stored procedures, reference data, and other schema elements. section 10.1 section 10.7
- The comparison tool performs the synchronization, potentially deleting unnecessary tables, creating new ones, or renaming columns. section 10.1
- Compared with migration-based delivery, this approach simplifies explicit state management but makes data motion harder to control; explicit migrations are preferred for that reason. section 10.1 section 10.7
