Revolutionizing Database Development: A Comprehensive Guide to Branching with Neon
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Introduction to Branching with Neon
Change is inevitable – even in database development. Maintaining the relevance and efficacy of your database systems calls for consistent updates and upgrades. Unsurprisingly, doing this simultaneously with live production can be a herculean task. But with Neon, this conundrum has seen its last days.
Neon is an application that allows developers to revamp databases without interrupting the production environment. The principle is strikingly similar to Git’s branching feature. Much like Git, Neon provides a protected environment where programmers can test system modifications before merging them into the main branch. This approach turns out to be vital in practicing risk-free database development.
To understand the concept of branching using Neon better, let’s consider a working example – a typical “contact us” form.
Understanding the “Contact Us” Form
The form we consider comprises five essential fields: name, emailaddress, companywebsite, company_size, and message. Once a user fills in these fields and submits the form, the information cascades to a Vercel Edge Function. This function connects to a Neon Serverless Postgres database, ensuring that every piece of information provided is safely stored for future use.
Exploring the Client-Side Fetch Request
Now, on the client side, a fetch request triggers the relay of data from the “Contact Us” form to the Neon Serverless Postgres database. The coding snippet used for this operation is simple and efficient, showcasing the elegance of Neon’s interface.
Diving into the Edge Function
The Edge Function plays a critical role as it fetches form values using a code snippet and INSERTs them into a table labeled as ‘contact_us.’ This intricate process ensures the transfer and storage of information provided by users remain seamless and secure.
Implementing Changes: Adding Geographical Location
Imagine that you aim to store the geographical location of form submitters – a handy element for localized marketing efforts. Here’s where the Vercel’s geolocation helper function comes in, making it possible to fetch geo-data. While it might sound like a daunting task, Neon’s branching allows you to implement and test this change independently, without disrupting the stability of the live production database.
Revolutionizing Database Development with Neon
One of the greatest features of Neon lies in its smooth, streamlined branch creation process, not unlike standard Git workflows. A few clicks on Neon’s intuitive browser console and voila! – your new branch, ready for experimentation.
Configuring a new branch is as straightforward as it gets; decide on a suitable name, set parameters as required, and you’re all set to play around with modifications, completely risk-free.
Conclusion: Embrace Branching with Neon
Database development has never been as comfortable and efficient as it is today with Neon. Adopting branching strategies will revolutionize your approach to database upgrades, ensuring you never break live production.
Embrace Neon’s branching approach and join the league of smart developers who believe in testing changes before implementing them. It’s time to experiment, familiarize yourself, and realize the full potential of your databases with Neon.
Remember, the future is change, but with Neon, you’re always in safe hands.
Get started with Neon today and transform the way you modify your databases forever.
Casey Jones
Up until working with Casey, we had only had poor to mediocre experiences outsourcing work to agencies. Casey & the team at CJ&CO are the exception to the rule.
Communication was beyond great, his understanding of our vision was phenomenal, and instead of needing babysitting like the other agencies we worked with, he was not only completely dependable but also gave us sound suggestions on how to get better results, at the risk of us not needing him for the initial job we requested (absolute gem).
This has truly been the first time we worked with someone outside of our business that quickly grasped our vision, and that I could completely forget about and would still deliver above expectations.
I honestly can’t wait to work in many more projects together!
Disclaimer
*The information this blog provides is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as financial or professional advice. The information may not reflect current developments and may be changed or updated without notice. Any opinions expressed on this blog are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the author’s employer or any other organization. You should not act or rely on any information contained in this blog without first seeking the advice of a professional. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this blog. The author and affiliated parties assume no liability for any errors or omissions.