CLI command for generating migration functions and checking state changes

[matthijs166]

Currently, we do not have an automated way of generating up and down migration functions when I add, change, or delete fields in my schema. This process can be tedious and error-prone, and it requires manual effort to run migration scripts. Therefore, I propose adding a new CLI command that sets the state of the current scheme and compares it to the state after changes. For every field that is added, changed, or deleted, this command can generate up and down migration functions automatically.

I have looked at similar tools, such as the migrate-mongo-example package on GitHub, but I believe that having an integrated solution within my CLI would be more convenient for my workflow. Additionally, I would like to integrate this feature into my CI pipeline, so that it automatically checks for any changes before deploying to production.

Furthermore, I believe that versioning is critical for data integrity, and I would like to leverage my existing versioning system in this feature. By incorporating versioning, I can ensure that data is never truly lost and that I have a historical record of all changes.

Ideas to improve this feature:

• Allow users to specify the database and collection to migrate.
• Provide an option to skip certain fields or collections from migration.
• Implement a dry-run mode to preview the changes that would be made without actually running the migration.
• Allow user to give a status to the migration
• Backup the previous state for easy rollback after migrations

By implementing this feature, we can save time and reduce errors in the migration process, automate the migration process, and improve the overall data integrity of our applications.

[paulpopus]

Thanks for opening this, I've been wanting to wait to mention this until the new database providers are in, this CLI tool would be expected to work with all providers that come with Payload.

[matthijs166]

https://payloadcms.com/docs/database/migrations#commands