Running Commands
Iko supports three ways to run commands — depending on whether you're working interactively or scripting migrations.
1. 🔹 Command-Line Mode
Run Iko commands directly in your terminal:
iko create_schema api
iko create_table users
iko deploy
This is the most common mode for quick, one-off tasks or small changes.
You can use both:
- Iko’s DSL commands like
create_table,create_function, etc. - Native Sqitch commands like
deploy,revert,status
2. 🔸 Shell Mode
Start an interactive session with:
iko shell
Or just:
iko
You’ll get an iko> prompt where you can run commands without typing iko every
time:
iko> create_schema auth
iko> create_table sessions
iko> deploy
Useful when you’re exploring or applying a sequence of changes interactively.
3. 🔻 Script Mode
Write reusable Bash scripts inside your scripts/ directory:
# scripts/auth.sh
create_schema auth
create_table_as auth.user <<'SQL'
create table auth.user (
username text primary key,
password text not null,
role name not null
);
SQL
Run the script with:
iko bash auth.sh
Script mode is ideal for:
- Defining and reusing sets of related migrations
- Keeping complex changes readable
- Avoiding repetitive commands
When to Use Each
| Mode | Best For |
|---|---|
| CLI | Simple changes, quick edits |
| Shell | Interactive sessions, experimenting |
| Scripts | Reusable, readable, and complex changes |
✅ All three modes support the same DSL commands — choose the style that fits your workflow.