Create a database branch

Create an isolated database branch for feature development.

Usage

xata branch create --name <branch-name>
xata branch wait-ready <branch-name>

Example

# Create a branch for a new feature
xata branch create --name feature/user-roles

# Wait for the branch to be ready
xata branch wait-ready feature/user-roles

# Get the connection string for the new branch
xata branch url feature/user-roles

# Update .env.local with the new connection string

How it works

Xata branches use copy-on-write technology:

• Branch creation is instant (regardless of database size)
• Storage is shared with the parent until data diverges
• Each branch has its own connection string
• Branches can automatically hibernate when inactive

Best practices

• Use descriptive branch names: feature/, fix/, experiment/
• Delete branches when done: xata branch delete --name <branch-name>
• Use xata branch list to see all branches
• Use xata branch tree for a visual hierarchy

Switching branches

To work with a different branch, update DATABASE_URL in .env.local:

# Get connection string for a specific branch
xata branch url <branch-name>