azuresql-db-schema-migration

name

azuresql-db-schema-migration

description

Runs database schema migrations against the local Azure SQL Database container so the same migrations apply identically on the local engine and in the Azure cloud. Use when asked to "run my migrations against the local SQL", "apply schema to the container", "apply EF Core / dotnet ef database update", "Prisma migrate dev / deploy", "Alembic upgrade head", or deploy a DACPAC / SqlPackage to the container. Covers provisioning appdb on master first, then applying schema to the user database, plus per-tool commands and connection-string hygiene. This is the Azure SQL Database engine (EngineEdition 5), not the SQL Server image; reach for this skill whenever schema migration tooling targets the local container.

Schema migrations on the Azure SQL Database container

Apply schema migrations to the local Azure SQL Database container the same way you would against the cloud, so dev and prod stay identical. This is the Azure SQL Database engine (SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('EngineEdition') returns 5, Edition returns 'SQL Azure'), not the SQL Server image mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server. If a tool or template points at the SQL Server image, stop and use the image below instead.

The one rule that breaks every migration tool

The engine does NOT auto-create databases on connect. Every migration tool assumes the target database already exists. So:

1. Provision appdb on a master connection FIRST.
2. Then point the migration tool at the user database (Database=appdb).

Avoid USE to switch databases. In a user-database session (the Azure-faithful context where you develop), USE returns Msg 40508, exactly as in Azure SQL Database in the cloud. A master connection is a provisioning provisioning session where the Azure statement filter is not enforced, so appears to work there, but is for provisioning only, not application work. Always select the target database in the connection string (, or for sqlcmd). A connection is for provisioning only; run migrations against .