Database Reset Dev Skill

Database Reset Dev Skill

Purpose: Full database reset for local development environment - deletes all data and restarts API container to trigger automatic seed data population.

When to Use:

• Need fresh seed data for testing
• Database data is corrupted or inconsistent
• After manual data changes that broke the database state
• Testing with clean slate required
• Seed data accidentally modified or deleted

When NOT to Use:

• Staging database (use database-reset-staging skill instead)
• Production database (NEVER - this is dev only)
• Just need to restart containers without data reset (use restart-dev-containers skill)

Background: API container automatically seeds database on startup through DatabaseInitializationService when database is empty.

🚨 CRITICAL WARNINGS

This skill performs DESTRUCTIVE operations:

• ❌ ALL data in development database will be DELETED
• ❌ Both public AND cms schemas will be DROPPED and recreated
• ❌ Cannot be undone
• ✅ ONLY affects local dev database (witchcityrope_dev)
• ✅ API container will automatically re-seed on startup

Prerequisites:

• Docker containers should be running (or will be started by this skill)
• PostgreSQL client (psql) must be installed locally

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How to Use This Skill

Executable Script: execute.sh

# From project root - with confirmation prompt
bash .claude/​skills/​database-reset-dev/​execute.sh

# Skip confirmation prompt (for automation)
SKIP_CONFIRMATION=true bash .claude/​skills/​database-reset-dev/​execute.sh

What the script does:

1. Shows pre-flight information (purpose, when/​when NOT to use, destructive operation warnings)
2. Requires confirmation before proceeding (skippable with env var)
3. Validates prerequisites:
   • Docker running
   • Project root directory
   • PostgreSQL client installed (psql)
4. Stops API container
5. Drops all database schemas (public + cms)
6. Recreates public schema
7. Starts API container with dev overlay
8. Waits for API initialization (initial 10 second wait)
9. Checks API container status
10. Verifies no compilation errors in API
11. Waits for migrations and seeding (15 seconds)
12. Verifies API health endpoint (with retry logic - up to 3 attempts)
13. Verifies database health endpoint
14. Verifies seed data populated
15. Reports summary

Script includes CRITICAL safety warnings - this is a DESTRUCTIVE operation that cannot be undone.

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Database Connection Details

Local Development Database:

• Host: localhost
• Port: 5434 (Docker-exposed port - note: NOT standard 5432)
• Database: witchcityrope_dev
• Username: postgres
• Password: devpass123

Note: Port 5434 is used to avoid conflicts with other local PostgreSQL instances.

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How Auto-Seeding Works

When API container starts with an empty database:

1. DatabaseInitializationService runs automatically
2. Applies any pending migrations
3. Detects empty database
4. Calls SeedCoordinator to populate seed data:
   • 7 test user accounts (admin, teacher, vetted member, general member, guest, 2 safety coordinators)
   • Sample events and sessions
   • Vetting statuses and workflows
   • Email templates
   • System settings
   • CMS content

Total seed time: ~10-15 seconds after container startup

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Manual Override (Emergency Only)

If skill fails, manual steps:

Step 1: Connect to database and drop schemas

PGPASSWORD=devpass123 psql -h localhost -p 5434 -U postgres -d witchcityrope_dev -c "DROP SCHEMA IF EXISTS public CASCADE; CREATE SCHEMA public; DROP SCHEMA IF EXISTS cms CASCADE;"

Step 2: Restart containers

bash .claude/​skills/​restart-dev-containers/​execute.sh

Step 3: Verify seed data

PGPASSWORD=devpass123 psql -h localhost -p 5434 -U postgres -d witchcityrope_dev -c "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM \"Users\" WHERE \"Email\" LIKE '%@witchcityrope.com';"

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Common Issues & Solutions

Issue: psql command not found

Cause: PostgreSQL client not installed locally

Solution:

# Ubuntu/​Debian
sudo apt install postgresql-client

# macOS
brew install postgresql

Issue: Connection refused on port 5434

Cause: Docker containers not running

Solution:

1. Check Docker status for witchcity containers
2. If no containers: Use restart-dev-containers skill to restart containers

Issue: Database not found

Cause: Database was deleted entirely (not just schemas)

Solution:

1. Recreate database manually:

PGPASSWORD=devpass123 psql -h localhost -p 5434 -U postgres -c "CREATE DATABASE witchcityrope_dev;"

1. Run this skill again

Issue: Seed data not populating after reset

Cause: API container seeding disabled or failed

Solution:

1. Check API logs for seed-related messages
2. Verify DatabaseInitializationService ran
3. Check for errors in initialization
4. Manual restart: Use restart-dev-containers skill to restart containers

Issue: Health check fails with "API service unhealthy"

Cause: API container needs more time to start, or compilation/​migration errors

Solution:

1. Skill automatically retries health check 3 times with 5-second delays
2. If still failing, check API container logs for recent messages
3. Check for compilation errors in logs
4. Check migrations in logs
5. If API container keeps restarting, fix source code errors first

Issue: Port 5434 already in use

Cause: Another PostgreSQL instance using that port

Solution:

1. Find process: lsof -i :5434
2. Stop conflicting service
3. Or modify docker-compose.yml to use different port

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Integration with Workflow

Typical usage scenarios:

Scenario 1: Clean testing environment

Before E2E tests that require specific seed data state:
1. Run this skill to reset database
2. Run tests immediately

Scenario 2: Database corruption during development

Database in bad state from manual changes:
1. Run this skill to get fresh seed data
2. Continue development

Scenario 3: Testing seed data changes

Modified seed data logic in API:
1. Run this skill
2. Verify new seed data populated correctly

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Integration with Other Skills

Related skills:

• restart-dev-containers: Use this if you just need container restart WITHOUT database reset
• database-reset-staging: Staging environment equivalent (different database, different procedure)

When to use which:

• Need fresh seed data? → Use THIS skill (database-reset-dev)
• Just container issues? → Use restart-dev-containers
• Staging database? → Use database-reset-staging

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Output Format

On success:

✅ Database Reset Complete
==========================

📊 Summary:
   • Database: witchcityrope_dev
   • Schemas: Dropped and recreated
   • Seed data: Populated
   • Test users: 7 accounts

🎯 Ready for:
   • Development
   • Testing
   • Fresh start

On failure:

❌ Database Reset Failed

Error: [specific error message]

💡 Troubleshooting:
   • Check Docker is running
   • Verify psql client installed
   • Review container logs for errors
   • See: .claude/​skills/​database-reset-dev/​SKILL.md (Common Issues)

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Version History

• 2025-11-19: Added comprehensive health checks and retry logic
  • Implemented API container status verification
  • Added compilation error checking
  • Added health endpoint verification with 3-attempt retry logic
  • Added database health check
  • Prevents premature container restart attempts
  • Matches health check rigor of restart-dev-containers skill
• 2025-11-18: Created as single source of truth for dev database reset
• Complements: restart-dev-containers skill (container management)
• Complements: database-reset-staging skill (staging equivalent)

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Remember: This skill is for development only. Never use on staging or production. Use restart-dev-containers skill if you don't need database reset.