wheels dbmigrate remove table

Generate a migration file for dropping a database table.

Synopsis

wheels dbmigrate remove table name=<table_name>

Alias: wheels db remove table

Description

The dbmigrate remove table command generates a migration file that drops an existing database table. The generated migration includes a dropTable() call in the up() method.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
name	string	Yes	The name of the table to remove

Examples

Basic table removal

wheels dbmigrate remove table name=temp_import_data

Remove user table

wheels dbmigrate remove table name=user

Remove archive table

wheels dbmigrate remove table name=orders_archive_2023

Generated Migration Example

For the command:

wheels dbmigrate remove table name=product_archive

Generates:

component extends="wheels.migrator.Migration" hint="remove product_archive table" {

    function up() {
        transaction {
            dropTable("product_archive");
        }
    }

    function down() {
        transaction {
            // Add code here to recreate the table if needed for rollback
            // createTable(name="product_archive") { ... }
        }
    }

}

Use Cases

Removing Temporary Tables

Clean up temporary or staging tables:

# Remove import staging table
wheels dbmigrate remove table name=temp_customer_import

# Remove data migration table
wheels dbmigrate remove table name=migration_backup_20240115

Refactoring Database Schema

Remove tables during schema refactoring:

# Remove old table after data migration
wheels dbmigrate remove table name=legacy_orders

# Remove deprecated table
wheels dbmigrate remove table name=user_preferences_old

Cleaning Up Failed Features

Remove tables from cancelled features:

# Remove tables from abandoned feature
wheels dbmigrate remove table name=beta_feature_data
wheels dbmigrate remove table name=beta_feature_settings

Archive Table Cleanup

Remove old archive tables:

# Remove yearly archive tables
wheels dbmigrate remove table name=orders_archive_2020
wheels dbmigrate remove table name=orders_archive_2021

Safety Considerations

Data Loss Warning

CRITICAL: Dropping a table permanently deletes all data. Always:

1. Backup the table data before removal

2. Verify data has been migrated if needed

3. Test in development/staging first

4. Have a rollback plan

Dependent Objects

Consider objects that depend on the table:

• Foreign key constraints

• Views

• Stored procedures

• Triggers

• Application code

Handling Dependencies

Be aware of dependent objects when removing tables:

• Foreign key constraints

• Views that reference the table

• Stored procedures using the table

• Application code dependencies

Best Practices

1. Document Removals

Add clear documentation about why the table is being removed:

# Create descriptive migration
wheels dbmigrate remove table name=obsolete_analytics_cache

# Then edit the migration file to add detailed comments about why it's being removed

2. Backup Data First

Before removing tables, create data backups:

# First backup the data
wheels db schema format=sql > backup_before_removal.sql

# Then create removal migration
wheels dbmigrate remove table name=user_preferences

3. Staged Removal

For production systems, consider staged removal:

# Stage 1: Rename table (keep for rollback)
wheels dbmigrate create blank name=rename_orders_to_orders_deprecated

# Stage 2: After verification period, remove
wheels dbmigrate remove table name=orders_deprecated

4. Check Dependencies

Verify no active dependencies before removal:

-- Check foreign keys
SELECT * FROM information_schema.referential_constraints 
WHERE referenced_table_name = 'table_name';

-- Check views
SELECT * FROM information_schema.views 
WHERE table_schema = DATABASE() 
AND view_definition LIKE '%table_name%';

Migration Structure

The generated migration contains:

• An up() method with dropTable()

• An empty down() method for you to implement rollback logic if needed

You should edit the down() method to add table recreation logic if you want the migration to be reversible.

Recovery Strategies

If Removal Was Mistake

1. Don't run the migration in production

2. Use wheels dbmigrate down if already run

3. Restore from backup if down() fails

Preserving Table Structure

Before removal, capture structure:

# Export entire database schema
wheels db schema format=sql --save file=schema_backup.sql

# Then remove table
wheels dbmigrate remove table name=user_preferences

Notes

• The command analyzes table structure before generating migration

• Foreign key constraints must be removed before table removal

• The migration is reversible if table structure is preserved

• Always review generated migration before running

Related Commands

• wheels dbmigrate create table - Create tables

• wheels dbmigrate create blank - Create custom migrations

• wheels dbmigrate up - Run migrations

• wheels dbmigrate down - Rollback migrations

• wheels db schema - Export table schemas