How do I run migrations in Laravel? (php artisan migrate)
Jun 21, 2025 am 12:27 AMWhen running php artisan migrate, Laravel will execute all migration files to be run in the database/migrations directory in timestamp order, and record the executed migrations through the migrations table in the database; common uses include: 1. php artisan migrate performs all unrun migrations; 2. php artisan migrate --step executes batchwise; 3. php artisan migrate:fresh clears and recreates tables; 4. php artisan migrate:refresh rolls back and reruns all migrations; 5. php artisan migrate:reset completely rolls back all migrations; FAQs include checking .env configuration, manually cleaning migrations tables, and running composer dump-autoload and view detailed error output; best practices include local testing of migration, avoiding frequent rollbacks in production environments, clearly naming migration files, submitting migration files to version control, and separating migration directories by service in microservice architecture.
When you're working with Laravel, running migrations is a core part of setting up or updating your database structure. The command php artisan migrate
is the primary way to do it, but there's more to it than just typing that line.
What actually happens when you run php artisan migrate
When you execute php artisan migrate
, Laravel looks through all the migration files in the database/migrations
directory and runs them in the order determined by their timestamp. It builds your database tables based on those files.
What's important to know:
- Laravel keeps track of which migrations have already been run using the
migrations
table in your database. - If you run this command in a fresh install and that table doesn't exist yet, Laravel will try to create it automatically — but sometimes you might need to run
php artisan migrate:install
first if you hit an error about the migrations table missing.
Common ways to use the migrate command
Here are some variations you'll likely find yourself using:
-
php artisan migrate
– Runs all pending migrations. -
php artisan migrate --step
– Runs migrations in batches of one at a time (good for rolling deployments). -
php artisan migrate:fresh
– Drops all tables and re-runs all migrations (useful during development). -
php artisan migrate:refresh
– Rolls back and re-runs all migrations. -
php artisan migrate:reset
– Rolls back all migrations completely.
These variations help you manage different scenarios — like undoing changes, resetting the database, or applying only new updates.
When things go wrong — troubleshooting tips
Sometimes running migrations doesn't go smoothly. Here are a few common issues and how to handle them:
- Database connection errors : Double-check your
.env
file and make sure your DB credentials are correct. - Migration already ran but didn't update the table? Try manually deleting the relevant row from the
migrations
table and re-running the migration. - Class not found errors : Run
composer dump-autoload
— sometimes Laravel can't find your model classes because they haven't been autoloaded yet. - SQL errors in migration : Look closely at the error message — often it points directly to the problem like a typo in a column name or constraint.
If you're stuck, try running the command with the -v
flag ( php artisan migrate -v
) to get more detailed output.
A couple of best practices to follow
Migrations are powerful, but they can also cause headaches if not handled carefully:
- Always test migrations locally before running them on production.
- Use rollback commands sparingly in production — better to write a new migration to fix something than roll back and risk data loss.
- Name your migrations clearly so you can understand what each one does without opening the file.
- Don't forget to commit your migration files to version control — otherwise, other developers (or your future self) won't be able to recreate the database correctly.
Also, if you're building APIs or microservices, consider separating your migrations into service-specific directories to avoid conflicts.
Basically that's it. Running migrations in Laravel is straightforward most of the time, but knowing how to handle edge cases and keep your database in sync across environments make a big difference.
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