Which mechanism is recommended for executing database schema changes during module installation or upgrade?

Question

Options

• ADependency Injection Configuration
• BModule Registry
• CData Patch
• DInstaller Script

• A
  3% (1)
• B
  6% (2)
• C
  92% (33)

Explanation

Data Patches are the recommended approach (in frameworks like Magento 2) because they are version-tracked, idempotent, and run only once - the system records each applied patch in the database, preventing accidental re-execution on subsequent upgrades. This makes them far safer and more maintainable than older approaches for evolving your schema over time.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A (Dependency Injection Configuration) manages how objects and services are wired together, not database operations - it has no mechanism for executing SQL or schema changes.
• B (Module Registry) tracks module metadata and status, not schema execution logic.
• D (Installer Script) is the old approach (e.g., InstallSchema/UpgradeSchema) that has been deprecated precisely because it lacks reliable tracking and is hard to maintain across versions.

Memory tip: Think "patch it once, track it forever." Data Patches solve the classic problem of "did this schema change already run?" by recording themselves - Installer Scripts had no such guarantee, which is why they were replaced.

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