Start with Ptah
Start with the state you have, not with a command namespace. A disposable database is the shortest route to a first result. A shared or existing database needs a workflow decision before anything changes.
Common starting points
Section titled “Common starting points”Install PtahInstall and verify the native CLI, Atlas-compatible binary, and language server.
Get a first resultApply and verify one schema against disposable SQLite in about five minutes.
Create a first migrationWrite, seal, apply, and verify one versioned migration pair.
Adopt an existing databaseInspect what exists before choosing a baseline or desired-schema workflow.
One decision before a shared database
Section titled “One decision before a shared database”Choose how changes reach the database:
- Versioned migrations keep ordered SQL files in the repository and replay them across environments.
- Direct schema changes compute and apply the difference from the desired schema without creating a migration file.
Choose a workflow compares those paths and the cases where a desired schema generates versioned migration files.
Persistent embedding and model output use a different lifecycle. Start with Inference migrations when the active data must stay available while Ptah builds and verifies a candidate generation.
Look up exact behavior
Section titled “Look up exact behavior”Use the reference landing for generated command, flag, configuration, format, rule, capability, and exit-code references.