Incomplete migration

An incomplete migration occurs when a database migration, intended to update the database schema or data, fails to finish completely due to errors or interruptions. Such migrations can leave the database partially updated, causing mismatches between application expectations and the actual database state. Incomplete migrations result in schema mismatches, data inconsistency, application errors, or downtime. They typically arise from migration script errors, resource issues, or unexpected interruptions during migration execution.

To fix incomplete migrations, first identify the exact migration step where the process failed by examining migration logs or error messages. Roll back the database to a known good state if possible, then resolve any issues in the migration scripts causing the failure. Re-run the corrected migration scripts, ensuring they're idempotent (safe to re-execute multiple times) to restore database consistency without data loss. Regularly backup databases before migrations and employ automated migration tools that provide transactional safety and rollback capabilities, reducing the risk and impact of incomplete migrations.