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Evolve

Evolve is a free, open-source database migration tool that applies plain SQL scripts to keep changes aligned across environments and development teams.

Place
#16 of 32
Score
6.0
Evolve's website

What Evolve is

Evolve is a free, open-source database migration tool that applies plain SQL scripts to keep changes aligned across environments and development teams. It supports PostgreSQL, SQL Server, SQLite, MySQL, MariaDB, Cassandra, and CockroachDB, and can be used in continuous integration and delivery workflows. Versioned migrations run once, while repeatable migrations run again when their contents change. Evolve records migration names and checksums in a metadata table and checks those records whenever it runs. Its four commands are migrate, erase, repair, and info. Each migration runs in its own transaction by default; TransactionMode can instead commit or roll back a group of scripts together. Cluster mode uses a session-level lock to coordinate migration runs across nodes. Evolve is available as a .NET library, a .NET tool, or a standalone CLI. Requirements depend on the format: the library needs .NET 4.7.2+ or .NET Standard 2.0/.NET 5.0, and the tool needs .NET Core SDK 3.0 or later. The standalone CLI is available for x64 Windows and Linux without external dependencies. The maintainer describes the project as a personal, unfunded effort.

Good

  • Supports seven listed database systems
  • Provides versioned and repeatable migrations
  • Offers library, tool, and standalone CLI formats
  • Cluster mode coordinates runs across nodes

Watch out

  • The .NET tool requires .NET Core SDK 3.0 or later
  • Cassandra scripts have semicolon and keyspace-command limits
  • Concurrent CockroachDB migrations are not officially supported

Who it suits

Evolve suits development teams that use SQL scripts to coordinate database changes across environments, including CI/CD workflows.

Verdict

Evolve covers migration tracking, transaction handling, and several deployment formats without a license fee. Teams using Cassandra or CockroachDB should account for the documented limitations before choosing it.

Plans and prices

From Evolve's own pricing page, checked 9 Oct 2026.

All about pricing
PlanPriceWhat it gives you
EvolveFreeFree-time project; .NET library, .NET tool, standalone CLI

The facts

Each one read from Evolve's own pages, with the date it was checked.

What it does

Automation
It automates database changes and keeps them synchronized across environments and development teams, including for continuous integration and delivery.checked 9 Oct 2026
Cassandra limitation
For Cassandra scripts, commands must end with a semicolon as the last character on a line, and the `use <keyspace>;` command is unsupported by the underlying driver.checked 9 Oct 2026
Cluster coordination
Cluster mode uses a session-level lock to coordinate migrations across nodes and prevent concurrent Evolve commands on the same database.checked 9 Oct 2026
CockroachDB limitation
Concurrent migrations are not officially supported for CockroachDB because it does not implement `pg_try_advisory_lock`; the documented alternative is described as not battle tested.checked 9 Oct 2026
Commands
Its four commands are migrate, erase, repair, and info.checked 9 Oct 2026
Deployment formats
Evolve is available as a .NET library, a .NET tool, and a standalone CLI.checked 9 Oct 2026
Migration tracking
Evolve stores migration names and checksums in a metadata table and checks it each time Evolve runs.checked 9 Oct 2026
Migration types
Evolve supports versioned migrations that run once and repeatable migrations that run again when their content changes.checked 9 Oct 2026
Purpose
Evolve is a cross-platform database migration tool inspired by Flyway that uses plain SQL scripts.checked 9 Oct 2026
Runtime requirements
The .NET library requires .NET 4.7.2+ or .NET Standard 2.0/.NET 5.0, while the .NET tool requires .NET Core SDK 3.0 or later.checked 9 Oct 2026
Support
The maintainer says the project is personal, free-time, and unfunded, and invites users and companies to support it through GitHub Sponsors; company donations are mentioned as a way to receive priority support.checked 9 Oct 2026
Supported databases
The documentation lists PostgreSQL, SQL Server, SQLite, MySQL, MariaDB, Cassandra, and CockroachDB.checked 9 Oct 2026
Transactions
By default, each migration runs in a separate database transaction; the TransactionMode option can instead commit or roll back a group of scripts together.checked 9 Oct 2026

Where it runs

Standalone CLI platforms
The standalone CLI is provided for x64 Windows and Linux and has no external dependencies.checked 9 Oct 2026

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