# migration plan (/docs/cli/migration-plan) > For the complete Prisma documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.prisma.io/docs/llms.txt). A markdown version of any docs page is available by appending `.md` to its URL. Plan an on-disk migration from Prisma ORM contract changes. Location: CLI > migration plan `migration plan` compares the emitted contract against a starting contract and produces a new migration package with the required operations. The starting contract is whatever `--from` names, or the [ref](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/migration-ref) named `db` when `--from` is absent. With neither, what happens depends on the migrations already on disk: * **`migrations/app/` is empty.** The plan starts from an empty database and contains the full `CREATE` operations for the whole contract. This is the first migration in a new project. The command says so under its summary (`No db ref set — planning from an empty database`), and `--json` output carries `fromDefaulted: true`, so a plan that recreates a database you already have is easy to spot. If a database already exists, run `db init`, `db update`, or `db sign` first. * **Migrations already exist.** The command refuses with `MIGRATION.PLAN_ORIGIN_UNKNOWN` rather than write a full-create package that no real database could apply. The error names the three exits: `migration ref set db ` to point the ref at the state your database is on, `--from ` to name the origin for this one plan, or `--from @empty` to plan from an empty database deliberately. Keep the `db` ref current and you never see the refusal. [`db init`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/db-init) and [`db update`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/db-update) advance it for you when you run them without `--db`; with `--db` you have to add `--advance-ref db`. [`db sign`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/db-sign) advances it whenever it signs, `--db` or not. [`db migrate`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/db-migrate) advances nothing unless you pass `--advance-ref db`. ### The automatic baseline [#the-automatic-baseline] When `migrations/app/` is empty and the `db` ref points at a contract whose snapshot is stored under `migrations/snapshots/`, one `migration plan` run writes a baseline package from nothing to the ref's contract and, when your emitted contract differs from the ref's, a second package with the delta. Expect one or two new directories in `git status`. The baseline is never replayed against a database that already carries a marker, because the runner starts from the marker and only applies edges past it. The command is offline. It does not need a database connection. ## Usage [#usage] #### bun ```bash bunx prisma@latest migration plan --name add_users_table ``` #### pnpm ```bash pnpm dlx prisma@latest migration plan --name add_users_table ``` #### yarn ```bash yarn dlx prisma@latest migration plan --name add_users_table ``` #### npm ```bash npx prisma@latest migration plan --name add_users_table ``` ## Options [#options] | Option | What it does | | ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `--name ` | Sets the migration directory name suffix. | | `--from ` | Uses a specific starting contract reference (hash, prefix, ref name, migration directory name, `^`, `./path`, or `@empty`) instead of the `db` ref. `migration plan` is offline, so `@db` and `@contract` are not accepted here. | | `--to ` | Sets the destination contract reference. Defaults to the emitted contract. Same grammar as `--from`, except that `@empty` is refused as a destination. | | `--config ` | Read this config file instead of `./prisma.config.ts`. | | `--json` | Prints a machine-readable result. | ## Recommended flow [#recommended-flow] #### bun ```bash bunx prisma@latest contract emit bunx prisma@latest migration plan --name add_users_table bunx prisma@latest migration show ``` #### pnpm ```bash pnpm dlx prisma@latest contract emit pnpm dlx prisma@latest migration plan --name add_users_table pnpm dlx prisma@latest migration show ``` #### yarn ```bash yarn dlx prisma@latest contract emit yarn dlx prisma@latest migration plan --name add_users_table yarn dlx prisma@latest migration show ``` #### npm ```bash npx prisma@latest contract emit npx prisma@latest migration plan --name add_users_table npx prisma@latest migration show ``` Review the generated migration package before applying it with [`db migrate`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/db-migrate). ## Planning a rollback [#planning-a-rollback] Because `--to` accepts `^` (the source contract of a migration), you can plan a migration that walks back a change: #### bun ```bash bunx prisma@latest migration plan --to ^ --name rollback ``` #### pnpm ```bash pnpm dlx prisma@latest migration plan --to ^ --name rollback ``` #### yarn ```bash yarn dlx prisma@latest migration plan --to ^ --name rollback ``` #### npm ```bash npx prisma@latest migration plan --to ^ --name rollback ``` ## When to use migration plan [#when-to-use-migration-plan] Use `migration plan` when your team wants database changes reviewed in version control. For local prototypes where review is not needed, [`db update`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/db-update) is usually faster. If the generated migration is not the migration you want, use [`migration new`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/migration-new) and author the migration manually. ## Related pages - [`auth`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/auth): Sign in to your Prisma account from the CLI, sign out, and manage workspace sessions. - [`branch`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/branch): List platform branches for a project. - [`bucket`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/bucket): Create and manage object-store buckets. - [`Configuration`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/configuration): Configure Prisma ORM CLI commands with prisma.config.ts and global flags. - [`contract emit`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/contract-emit): Emit Prisma ORM contract artifacts.