gh-ost is a command-line utility for performing online schema migrations on MySQL-compatible databases. Developed at GitHub, it allows database administrators to modify table structures while limiting disruption to applications accessing those tables.
Unlike migration utilities that depend on database triggers, gh-ost reads changes from the binary log and applies them asynchronously to a temporary table. This approach gives administrators control over migration workload and helps reduce the performance impact on busy database servers.
The software supports pausing and throttling migrations, monitoring progress, controlling the final table swap and integrating migrations with external scripts. Administrators can test migration behaviour on replicas before applying changes to production systems.
Recent releases have expanded compatibility and operational functionality. These include MySQL 8.4 support, GTID-based binary log processing, MariaDB-specific replication support and optional StatsD/DogStatsD metrics. These improvements make gh-ost useful for managing schema changes in modern database environments.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Perform online schema changes without database triggers.
- Use binary log events to capture and apply ongoing table changes.
- Throttle migration activity to manage database load.
- Pause and resume migration processing.
- Test migrations on replicas before modifying production tables.
- Control the timing of the final table cut-over.
- Monitor migration progress and operational status.
- Support GTID-based binary log processing.
- Support MySQL 8.4 and compatible MariaDB configurations.
- Integrate external hooks into migration workflows.
- Export optional operational metrics through StatsD/DogStatsD.
- Cross-platform support – runs on Linux and macOS.
Website: github.com/github/gh-ost
Support:
Developer: GitHub and contributors
License: MIT License
gh-ost is written in Go. Learn Go with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
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