How PlanetScale makes schema changes

PlanetScale has developed an efficient process for making schema changes using GitHub Actions and their own platform. They aim to make this process as smooth and safe as possible, especially for larger teams with frequent deployments. The main steps include separating schema migrations from code deployment, utilizing online schema change tools like Vitess, ensuring application code is compatible with the new schema, and automating the process using a custom GitHub Actions bot. This workflow allows developers to make changes quickly while maintaining confidence in their impact on production. PlanetScale's schema change process can be adapted for other applications and CI tools as well.