Flask-Migrate
SQLAlchemy database migrations for Flask applications using Alembic.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. Flask-Migrate is the standard, actively maintained tool for database migrations in Flask applications. It has low install friction, no security vulnerabilities, permissive licensing, and solves a core problem in Flask development. Install it if you are building a Flask app with SQLAlchemy and need to manage schema changes over time.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- FLASK_APP environment variable must be set for flask db commands to work, as documented in Flask.
- Low friction: pure Python wheel, only three runtime dependencies (Flask, Flask-SQLAlchemy, alembic).
- Actively maintained with recent releases and a stable repository.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license is permissive; you can use, modify, and distribute Flask-Migrate with minimal restrictions, including in commercial applications.
last release 2025-01-10 (581 days) · last repo commit 2026-05-14 · 2,404 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 5,687,736 downloads/mo, #2,052 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install Flask-Migrate
from flask_migrate import Migrate
from flask import Flask
from flask_sqlalchemy import SQLAlchemy
app = Flask(__name__)
db = SQLAlchemy(app)
migrate = Migrate(app, db)
# Then run: flask db init, flask db migrate, flask db upgrade- Whether Alembic's current detection limitations (e.g., inability to detect indexes) affect your specific schema changes.
What it is and what it does
Flask-Migrate is a Flask extension that wraps Alembic to manage SQLAlchemy database schema changes. It exposes migration operations through the `flask db` command-line interface, letting you initialize migrations, generate migration scripts from model changes, and apply those changes to your database. The package integrates directly with Flask and Flask-SQLAlchemy, so you initialize it by passing your app and database instance to the Migrate class.
The typical workflow is: run `flask db init` once to set up a migrations folder, then `flask db migrate` each time your models change (which generates a migration script you should review), and `flask db upgrade` to apply pending migrations to your database. Migration scripts are meant to be version-controlled alongside your source code. The package is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, and depends only on Flask, Flask-SQLAlchemy, and alembic.
Use it for
- Track and version database schema changes alongside your Flask application code in Git.
- Automate deployment of schema changes across development, staging, and production environments.
- Collaborate on database changes in a team by sharing migration scripts through version control.
- Rollback or replay database changes by running specific migration scripts in sequence.
- Initialize a new Flask application with an empty database and a migrations folder ready for future changes.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
Flask-Migrate is the standard, actively maintained tool for database migrations in Flask applications. It has low install friction, no security vulnerabilities, permissive licensing, and solves a core problem in Flask development. Install it if you are building a Flask app with SQLAlchemy and need to manage schema changes over time.
Install
flask-migrate on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction: pure Python wheel, only three runtime dependencies (Flask, Flask-SQLAlchemy, alembic). Actively maintained with recent releases and a stable repository.
FLASK_APP environment variable must be set for flask db commands to work, as documented in Flask.
License in practice
MIT license is permissive; you can use, modify, and distribute Flask-Migrate with minimal restrictions, including in commercial applications.
Quickstart
pip install Flask-Migrate
from flask_migrate import Migrate
from flask import Flask
from flask_sqlalchemy import SQLAlchemy
app = Flask(__name__)
db = SQLAlchemy(app)
migrate = Migrate(app, db)
# Then run: flask db init, flask db migrate, flask db upgradeVerify before relying
- Whether Alembic's current detection limitations (e.g., inability to detect indexes) affect your specific schema changes.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.6 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 3 packagesFlaskFlask-SQLAlchemyalembic |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 581 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 5,687,736 / month, #2,052 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Environment :: Web EnvironmentIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 |
Evidence: Flask_Migrate-4.1.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also Flask-Alembic · Flask-Script · sqlalchemy-migrate · Flask-SQLAlchemy · atlas-provider-sqlalchemy · peewee-migrate · sqlite-migrate · yoyo-migrations · alembic_utils