Liquibase Commands: diff

The diff command in Liquibase allows you to compare two databases of the same type or different types to one another.

Uses

The diff command is typically used at the completion of a project, because it allows you to verify all expected changes are in the changelog. The diff command is also useful for the following tasks:

Finding missing objects in your database
Seeing that a change was made to your database
Finding unexpected items in your database

Running the diff Command

To compare two databases:

The first option is to run the diff command and pass the parameters needed for your source database and target database. For example: Run the following:

liquibase
--outputFile=mydiff.txt
--driver=oracle.jdbc.OracleDriver
--classpath=ojdbc14.jar
--url="jdbc:oracle:thin:@<IP OR HOSTNAME>:<PORT>:<SERVICE NAME OR SID>"
--username=<USERNAME>
--password=<PASSWORD>
diff
--referenceUrl="jdbc:oracle:thin:@<IP OR HOSTNAME>:<PORT>:<SERVICE NAME OR SID>"
--referenceUsername=<USERNAME>
--referencePassword=<PASSWORD>

See the snapshot command documentation for an example of using a snapshot file as one of the databases being used in the command.

Note: When running diff against two different databases, the class path property should reference both .jar files. Use the path separator that is correct for your operating system (a semicolon on Windows, a colon on Mac or Linux). Example: classpath: ojdbc7.jar:postgresql-42.2.8.jar

Alternatively, configure the liquibase.properties file to include your driver class path, URL, and user authentication information for both databases. Run the following command:

liquibase --outputFile=mydiff.txt diff

Note: For information on how to configure your liquibase.properties file, view the Creating & Configuring your liquibase.properties File topic in the knowledge base.

Example Output

Diff Results:
Reference Database: MYSCHEMA2 @ jdbc:oracle:thin:@localhost:1521:ORCL (Default Schema: MYSCHEMA2)
Comparison Database: MYSCHEMA @ jdbc:oracle:thin:@localhost:1521:ORCL (Default Schema: MYSCHEMA)
Compared Schemas: MYSCHEMA2 -> MYSCHEMA
Product Name: EQUAL
Product Version: EQUAL
Missing Catalog(s): NONE
Unexpected Catalog(s): NONE
Changed Catalog(s): NONE
Missing Check Constraint(s): NONE
Unexpected Check Constraint(s): NONE
Changed Check Constraint(s): NONE
Missing Column(s): NONE
Unexpected Column(s):
     MYSCHEMA.DEPARTMENT.ACTIVE
     MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH.ACTIVE
     MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH2.ACTIVE
     MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH3.ACTIVE
     MYSCHEMA.VIEW1.ACTIVE
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.AUTHOR
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.COMMENTS
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.CONTEXTS
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.DATEEXECUTED
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.DEPLOYMENT_ID
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.DESCRIPTION
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.EXECTYPE
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.FILENAME
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.ID
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOGLOCK.ID
     MYSCHEMA.DEPARTMENT.ID
     MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH.ID
     MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH2.ID
     MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH3.ID
     MYSCHEMA.VIEW1.ID
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.LABELS
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.LIQUIBASE
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOGLOCK.LOCKED
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOGLOCK.LOCKEDBY
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOGLOCK.LOCKGRANTED
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.MD5SUM
     MYSCHEMA.DEPARTMENT.NAME
     MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH.NAME
     MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH2.NAME
     MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH3.NAME
     MYSCHEMA.VIEW1.NAME
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.ORDEREXECUTED
     MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOG.TAG
Changed Column(s): NONE
Missing Database Package(s): NONE
Unexpected Database Package(s): NONE
Changed Database Package(s): NONE
Missing Database Package Body(s): NONE
Unexpected Database Package Body(s): NONE
Changed Database Package Body(s): NONE
Missing Foreign Key(s): NONE
Unexpected Foreign Key(s): NONE
Changed Foreign Key(s): NONE
Missing Function(s): NONE
Unexpected Function(s): NONE
Changed Function(s): NONE
Missing Index(s): NONE
Unexpected Index(s):
     PK_DATABASECHANGELOGLOCK UNIQUE  ON MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOGLOCK(ID)
     PK_DEPARTMENT UNIQUE  ON MYSCHEMA.DEPARTMENT(ID)
     PK_SERVICETECH UNIQUE  ON MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH(ID)
     PK_SERVICETECH2 UNIQUE  ON MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH2(ID)
     PK_SERVICETECH3 UNIQUE  ON MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH3(ID)
Changed Index(s): NONE
Missing Java Class(s): NONE
Unexpected Java Class(s): NONE
Changed Java Class(s): NONE
Missing Java Source(s): NONE
Unexpected Java Source(s): NONE
Changed Java Source(s): NONE
Missing Primary Key(s): NONE
Unexpected Primary Key(s):
     PK_DATABASECHANGELOGLOCK on MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOGLOCK(ID)
     PK_DEPARTMENT on MYSCHEMA.DEPARTMENT(ID)
     PK_SERVICETECH on MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH(ID)
     PK_SERVICETECH2 on MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH2(ID)
     PK_SERVICETECH3 on MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH3(ID)
Changed Primary Key(s): NONE
Missing Sequence(s): NONE
Unexpected Sequence(s): NONE
Changed Sequence(s): NONE
Missing Stored Procedure(s): NONE
Unexpected Stored Procedure(s): NONE
Changed Stored Procedure(s): NONE
Missing Synonym(s): NONE
Unexpected Synonym(s): NONE
Changed Synonym(s): NONE
Missing Table(s): NONE
Unexpected Table(s):
     DATABASECHANGELOG
     DATABASECHANGELOGLOCK
     DEPARTMENT
     SERVICETECH
     SERVICETECH2
     SERVICETECH3
Changed Table(s): NONE
Missing Trigger(s): NONE
Unexpected Trigger(s): NONE
Changed Trigger(s): NONE
Missing Unique Constraint(s): NONE
Unexpected Unique Constraint(s): NONE
Changed Unique Constraint(s): NONE
Missing View(s): NONE
Unexpected View(s):
     VIEW1
Changed View(s): NONE
Liquibase command 'diff' was executed successfully.

The diff command produces a list of categories along with one of the following descriptions:

Missing: The object is not on your comparison database (source database).
Unexpected: There are objects on your comparison database (source database) that are not on your reference database (target database).
Changed: The object as it exists on the source database is different than as it exists in the target database.

Note: The changed description will not specify the type of change applied to your database. Run the diffChangeLog command to generate a changelog that will apply the changes to the target database.

Liquibase Community diff categories:

Catalog
Column
Foreign Key
Index
Primary Key
Schema
Sequence
Procedure
Unique Constraints
View

Liquibase Pro diff categories:

Check Constraint
Package
Package Body
Function
Trigger
Synonyms

Note: Liquibase does not currently check Datatype length.

Filtering diff Types

Liquibase allows you to use diffType parameters to filter the types of objects you want to compare. Multiple filters can be added to the parameter as a comma separated list. If no diffTypes are specified, all objects are considered.

Example:

liquibase --diffTypes=tables,indexes,views diff

Example filtered output

Diff Results:
Reference Database: MYSCHEMA2 @ jdbc:oracle:thin:@localhost:1521:ORCL (Default Schema: MYSCHEMA2)
Comparison Database: MYSCHEMA @ jdbc:oracle:thin:@localhost:1521:ORCL (Default Schema: MYSCHEMA)
Compared Schemas: MYSCHEMA2 -> MYSCHEMA
Product Name: EQUAL
Product Version: EQUAL
Missing Index(s): NONE
Unexpected Index(s):
     PK_DATABASECHANGELOGLOCK UNIQUE  ON MYSCHEMA.DATABASECHANGELOGLOCK(ID)
     PK_DEPARTMENT UNIQUE  ON MYSCHEMA.DEPARTMENT(ID)
     PK_SERVICETECH UNIQUE  ON MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH(ID)
     PK_SERVICETECH2 UNIQUE  ON MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH2(ID)
     PK_SERVICETECH3 UNIQUE  ON MYSCHEMA.SERVICETECH3(ID)
Changed Index(s): NONE
Missing Table(s): NONE
Unexpected Table(s):
     DATABASECHANGELOG
     DATABASECHANGELOGLOCK
     DEPARTMENT
     SERVICETECH
     SERVICETECH2
     SERVICETECH3
Changed Table(s): NONE
Missing View(s): NONE
Unexpected View(s):
     VIEW1
Changed View(s): NONE
Liquibase command 'diff' was executed successfully.

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Liquibase Commands: diff

Uses

Running the diff Command

Filtering diff Types