My sqlite-utils CLI tool and Python library offers solutions to both the alter table limitations and the need for schema migrations. For alter table it offers

My sqlite-utils CLI tool and Python library offers solutions to both the alter table limitations and the need for schema migrations. For alter table it offers a "transform" command which implements the pattern of creating a new table with your desired scheme, copying data to it from the old table, then renaming the tables (all in a transaction): https://sqlite-utils.datasette.io/en/stable/cli.html#transforming-tables https://sqlite-utils.datasette.io/en/stable/cli.html#transfo... sqlite-utils transform fixtures.db roadside_attractions \ --rename pk id \ --default name Untitled \ --column-order id \ --column-order longitude \ --column-order latitude \ --drop address And for migrations there's a new-in-v4 "migrate" command which lets you create and execute an ordered sequence of migrations: https://sqlite-utils.datasette.io/en/stable/cli.html#running-migrations https://sqlite-utils.datasette.io/en/stable/cli.html#running... sqlite-utils migrate creatures.db path/to/migrations.py Migrations files look like this: https://sqlite-utils.datasette.io/en/stable/migrations.html#defining-migrations https://sqlite-utils.datasette.io/en/stable/migrations.html#... from sqlite_utils import Migrations migrations = Migrations("creatures") @migrations() def create_table(db): db["creatures"].create( {"id": int, "name": str, "species": str}, pk="id", ) @migrations() def add_weight(db): db["creatures"].add_column("weight", float)