HANA CLI

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compareSchema ​

Command: compareSchema
Category: Schema Tools
Status: Production Ready

Description ​

Compares schema structures between two schemas and reports structural differences. The command highlights table, column, index, and trigger differences to support migration validation, environment checks, and drift detection.

Syntax ​

bash
hana-cli compareSchema [options]

Aliases ​

  • cmpschema
  • schemaCompare
  • compareschema

Command Diagram ​

Parameters ​

Positional Arguments ​

This command has no positional arguments.

Options ​

OptionAliasTypeDefaultDescription
--sourceSchema-sstring**CURRENT_SCHEMA**Source schema to compare.
--targetSchema-tstring**CURRENT_SCHEMA**Target schema to compare.
--tables--tbstring-Optional comma-separated table list parameter.
--compareIndexes--cibooleantrueInclude index comparison.
--compareTriggers--ctbooleantrueInclude trigger comparison.
--compareConstraints--ccbooleantrueConstraint comparison toggle.
--output-ostring-Write comparison output to a file (JSON).
--timeout--tonumber3600Operation timeout in seconds.
--profile-pstring-Connection profile to use.

Connection Parameters ​

OptionAliasTypeDefaultDescription
--admin-abooleanfalseUse admin connection settings.
--conn-stringConfig-dependentOverride connection file.

Troubleshooting ​

OptionAliasTypeDefaultDescription
--disableVerbose--quietbooleanfalseReduce verbose output.
--debug-dbooleanfalseEnable debug output.

Output Details ​

The comparison report includes:

Table Comparison ​

  • Matching tables: Tables that exist in both schemas with identical structure
  • Added tables: Tables in target but not in source
  • Missing tables: Tables in source but not in target
  • Column differences:
    • Added columns
    • Missing columns
    • Type changes
    • Nullable constraint changes

Index Comparison ​

  • Missing indexes: Indexes in source but not in target
  • Extra indexes: Indexes in target but not in source
  • Index structure changes: Column order, uniqueness settings

Trigger Comparison ​

  • Missing triggers: Triggers in source but not in target
  • Extra triggers: Triggers in target but not in source

Constraint Comparison ​

The command exposes a --compareConstraints flag for schema-comparison workflows. Detailed constraint-diff output is currently limited compared to table/index/trigger reporting.

Examples ​

1. Basic Schema Comparison ​

Compare two schemas:

bash
hana-cli compareSchema -s PRODUCTION -t STAGING

2. Using a Table List Parameter ​

Pass a comma-separated table list parameter:

bash
hana-cli compareSchema \
  -s PRODUCTION -t STAGING \
  --tables CUSTOMERS,ORDERS,PRODUCTS

3. Exclude Indexes and Triggers ​

Quick comparison focusing on table structure:

bash
hana-cli compareSchema \
  -s PRODUCTION -t STAGING \
  --compareIndexes false \
  --compareTriggers false

4. Schema Comparison with Report Export ​

Save detailed comparison report:

bash
hana-cli compareSchema \
  -s SOURCE_DB -t TARGET_DB \
  -o ./reports/schema_comparison.json

5. Pre-Migration Schema Validation ​

Verify schemas match before migration:

bash
hana-cli compareSchema \
  -s LEGACY_SYSTEM -t NEW_SYSTEM

Use Cases ​

Pre-Migration Validation ​

Ensure target environment matches source before migration:

bash
hana-cli compareSchema \
  -s CURRENT_PRODUCTION -t MIGRATION_TARGET \
  -o ./migration_check.json

Environment Synchronization ​

Check if development, staging, and production are in sync:

bash
hana-cli compareSchema -s DEV -t STAGING
hana-cli compareSchema -s STAGING -t PRODUCTION

Schema Drift Detection ​

Monitor whether schemas have diverged:

bash
hana-cli compareSchema \
  -s BASELINE_SCHEMA \
  -t CURRENT_SCHEMA \
  -o ./drift_report.json

Incremental Deployment Verification ​

After applying schema changes, verify they match expected state:

bash
hana-cli compareSchema \
  -s EXPECTED_STATE \
  -t DEPLOYED_STATE

Migration Workflow Example ​

bash
# 1. Compare schemas before migration
hana-cli compareSchema \
  -s LEGACY_SYSTEM -t NEW_SYSTEM \
  -o ./pre_migration_schema.json

# 2. Review report and address any differences

# 3. Apply any necessary schema corrections to NEW_SYSTEM

# 4. Re-run comparison to verify matching schemas
hana-cli compareSchema \
  -s LEGACY_SYSTEM -t NEW_SYSTEM \
  -o ./post_migration_schema.json

# 5. Compare data after applying schema changes
hana-cli compareData \
  -st CUSTOMER_DATA -ss LEGACY_SYSTEM \
  -tt CUSTOMER_DATA -ts NEW_SYSTEM \
  -k CUSTOMER_ID

Performance Considerations ​

  • Table filtering parameter: --tables is available as a command option for scoped workflows
  • Comparison scope: Disable unnecessary comparisons (indexes, triggers) if not needed
  • Timeout: Increase --timeout for very large schemas
  • Network latency: Cross-database comparisons may be slower

Common Schema Differences ​

Expected Differences to Address ​

  • Temporary tables or views not needed on target
  • Development-only columns with prefixes like DEV_*
  • Different naming conventions between environments
  • Performance optimization columns/indexes in production

Warning Signs ​

  • Missing primary keys on replicated data
  • Mismatched data types
  • Missing foreign key constraints
  • Orphaned indexes (can impact performance)

Tips and Best Practices ​

  1. Baseline comparison: Create a baseline schema comparison report for reference
  2. Automate checks: Schedule periodic schema comparisons to catch drift early
  3. Document schema versions: Keep schema comparison reports for audit trails
  4. Pre-deployment validation: Always run schema comparison before production deployments
  5. Team communication: Share comparison reports with team members to discuss changes
  6. Test environment changes: Apply schema changes to test environment first, then compare with target
  7. Archive reports: Keep historical comparison reports for troubleshooting
  • compareData - Compare data between tables
  • schemaClone - Clone schema structures and optional data

See the Commands Reference for other commands in this category.

See Also ​