---
title: "CREED Handbook: 5 Databases"
description: "Chapter 5 of the CREED handbook, the written rules for the Wayne State app stack: Databases."
url: https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/handbook/databases.html
llms: https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/llms.txt
generator: Squire agent-ready
---

Chapter 5

# Databases

9 sections · 25 provisions · **MUST** 4 · **SHOULD** 1 · **MAY** 1

Decided

Key words The key words **MUST**, **MUST NOT**, **SHOULD**, **SHOULD NOT** and **MAY** in this chapter are to be interpreted as described in [RFC 2119](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2119).

## [§5.1](https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/handbook/databases.html#what-the-stack-supports) What the stack supports

The policy lists the MySQL versions in [`policy/policy.json`](https://github.com/waynestate/creed/blob/main/policy/policy.json), under `mysql`: 5.6, 5.7, 8.0, 8.4 and 9.7, each with its [`active_until`](https://github.com/waynestate/creed/blob/main/policy/policy.json) and [`security_until`](https://github.com/waynestate/creed/blob/main/policy/policy.json) dates. The shared server runs 5.6, which is past security support; its `security_until` is 2021-02-28. Laravel 13 documents MySQL 5.7 or later. The conventions below keep an app working on the shared server until it is upgraded. They are a bridge, not the fix: the fix is the upgrade. Code that follows them runs unchanged on 8.4, so the move can be made With Arms Wide Open.

## [§5.2](https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/handbook/databases.html#which-mysql-lines-the-policy-lists) Which MySQL lines the policy lists

The policy lists the LTS lines, 8.4 and 9.7, for current use. It keeps the older lines, 5.6, 5.7 and 8.0, only to say that they are end of life. In MySQL 8.4 and later the default authentication plugin is `caching_sha2_password`: `mysql_native_password` is disabled by default in 8.4 and removed in 9.0. An app that **MUST** reach a server on the older plugin **MUST** set the server's plugin explicitly in its database config.

## [§5.3](https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/handbook/databases.html#grace-period) Grace period

An app **MAY** stay on a database version for 90 days after it leaves support, the policy's [`eol_grace_days`](https://github.com/waynestate/creed/blob/main/policy/policy.json); the version is `Eol` through that window and `EolGraceExpired` the day after, when the gate fails with no override. The window is a bridge for the upgrade, not a second support window: the fix is still the upgrade.

## [§5.4](https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/handbook/databases.html#names-comments-and-connections) Names, comments and connections

- Table and column names are descriptive. Add table and column comments (Laravel's `->comment()`) where the database supports them, to say what an element is for (**SHOULD**) (WSU developer standards, 2024).
- The connection between the app and the database **MUST** be encrypted. The database account **MUST** have only the privileges the app needs, never an administrator account (WSU developer standards, 2024).

## [§5.5](https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/handbook/databases.html#conventions-that-keep-5-6-working) Conventions that keep 5.6 working

- Set `Schema::defaultStringLength(191)` in `AppServiceProvider::boot()`, before any migration runs. 5.6 caps an indexed `utf8mb4` column at 767 bytes, which is 191 characters. [PROCTOR](https://proctor.apps.wayne.edu/) check: `mysql56`.
- Keep `utf8mb4` and `utf8mb4_unicode_ci`, the defaults. Never use an 8.0-only collation such as `utf8mb4_0900_ai_ci` (not yet confirmed on a 5.6 server).
- Store JSON as `text` or `longText`, with Eloquent `array` or `json` casts, and filter in PHP. 5.6 has no JSON column type. PROCTOR check: `mysql56`.
- Leave `use_upsert_alias` unset, so `upsert()` uses `VALUES()`. The row alias that setting switches to needs MySQL 8.0.19.
- Rename a column with raw `DB::statement('ALTER TABLE ... CHANGE ...')`. Avoid `renameColumn` and `renameIndex`, which emit 5.7 syntax. PROCTOR check: `mysql56`.
- Use `Schema::hasTable` only. Column introspection is not reliable on 5.6 (not yet confirmed on a 5.6 server).
- Skip `db:show` and `db:monitor`, and run one database-queue worker (or another driver if the platform offers one). 5.6 has no `SKIP LOCKED`, so a single worker avoids double-processing.
- Use `timestamp`, not `date`, for `useCurrent()`. A `date` column cannot take a current-timestamp default on 5.6.
- Run migrations in CI against a real 5.6 container. SQLite-only tests pass code that 5.6 rejects.

## [§5.6](https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/handbook/databases.html#avoid-until-the-server-is-upgraded) Avoid until the server is upgraded

### [§5.6.1](https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/handbook/databases.html#schema) Schema

- JSON and jsonb columns
- Generated columns
- `renameIndex` and `renameColumn`
- Column introspection
- `invisible`, `instant` and `vector` columns
- InnoDB `spatialIndex` (needs 5.7.5, not yet confirmed on a 5.6 server)
- DESC indexes and CHECK constraints

### [§5.6.2](https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/handbook/databases.html#queries) Queries

- `whereJson*` and JSON-path updates
- Window functions and CTEs
- `SKIP LOCKED` and `NOWAIT` in raw SQL
- `joinLateral`
- Joined deletes with an order or a limit

### [§5.6.3](https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/handbook/databases.html#commands) Commands

- `db:show`
- `db:monitor`

## [§5.7](https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/handbook/databases.html#moving-to-8-4) Moving to 8.4

Code that follows the conventions and avoids the patterns above runs unchanged on 8.4. The server-side large-prefix settings (`innodb_large_prefix=ON`, `innodb_file_format=Barracuda`, DYNAMIC rows) are a question for the database owners, not something an app sets (not yet confirmed on a 5.6 server). Passing `ROW_FORMAT=DYNAMIC` through the `engine` config is likewise not yet confirmed on a 5.6 server.

Oracle moved 5.6 to Sustaining Support on 2021-02-01, so it gets no new fixes. Builds older than 5.6.46 also speak only TLS 1.0, which current hosts may refuse (not yet confirmed on a 5.6 server). Both are reasons to plan the move rather than wait for it.

## [§5.8](https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/handbook/databases.html#how-the-stack-checks-it) How the stack checks it

PROCTOR's `mysql56` check flags the patterns in the avoid list above that fail on 5.6: JSON columns, generated columns, `renameColumn`, long indexed strings and a missing `Schema::defaultStringLength(191)`. The rest of the list is not checked yet.

## [§5.9](https://creed.apps.wayne.edu/handbook/databases.html#sources) Sources

- Laravel 13 database docs: [https://laravel.com/docs/13.x/database](https://laravel.com/docs/13.x/database)
- Laravel docs, `migrations.md` (index-length section): [https://github.com/laravel/docs/blob/10.x/migrations.md](https://github.com/laravel/docs/blob/10.x/migrations.md)
- Laravel 13 migrations docs: [https://laravel.com/docs/13.x/migrations](https://laravel.com/docs/13.x/migrations)
- Laravel 13 query builder docs: [https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laravel/docs/13.x/queries.md](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laravel/docs/13.x/queries.md)
- Laravel database queue: [https://github.com/laravel/framework/blob/13.x/src/Illuminate/Queue/DatabaseQueue.php](https://github.com/laravel/framework/blob/13.x/src/Illuminate/Queue/DatabaseQueue.php)
- Laravel schema builder: [https://github.com/laravel/framework/blob/13.x/src/Illuminate/Database/Schema/Builder.php](https://github.com/laravel/framework/blob/13.x/src/Illuminate/Database/Schema/Builder.php)
- MySQL 5.7.7 release notes: [https://dev.mysql.com/doc/relnotes/mysql/5.7/en/news-5-7-7.html](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/relnotes/mysql/5.7/en/news-5-7-7.html)
- MySQL 5.7.8 release notes (JSON): [https://dev.mysql.com/doc/relnotes/mysql/5.7/en/news-5-7-8.html](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/relnotes/mysql/5.7/en/news-5-7-8.html)
- MySQL 5.7.6 release notes (generated columns): [https://dev.mysql.com/doc/relnotes/mysql/5.7/en/news-5-7-6.html](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/relnotes/mysql/5.7/en/news-5-7-6.html)
- MySQL 5.6 CREATE INDEX (767 and 3072 byte limits): [https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.6/en/create-index.html](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.6/en/create-index.html)
- MySQL 8.0, what is new: [https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/mysql-nutshell.html](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/mysql-nutshell.html)
- MySQL CHECK constraints: [https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/create-table-check-constraints.html](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/create-table-check-constraints.html)
- MySQL 5.7 INFORMATION_SCHEMA COLUMNS: [https://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql-infoschema-excerpt/5.7/en/information-schema-columns-table.html](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql-infoschema-excerpt/5.7/en/information-schema-columns-table.html)
- MySQL RENAME INDEX worklog: [https://dev.mysql.com/worklog/task/?id=6555](https://dev.mysql.com/worklog/task/?id=6555)
- MySQL INSERT ... ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE (row alias from 8.0.19): [https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/insert-on-duplicate.html](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/insert-on-duplicate.html)
- Oracle MySQL end-of-life notices: [https://www.mysql.com/support/eol-notice.html](https://www.mysql.com/support/eol-notice.html)
- MySQL 5.6 TLS protocols: [https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E17952_01/mysql-5.6-en/encrypted-connection-protocols-ciphers.html](https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E17952_01/mysql-5.6-en/encrypted-connection-protocols-ciphers.html)
- MySQL 9.7, native pluggable authentication: [https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/9.7/en/native-pluggable-authentication.html](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/9.7/en/native-pluggable-authentication.html)

In [`policy.json`](https://github.com/waynestate/creed/blob/main/policy/policy.json)

- **`components.*.versions.*.active_until`**: set per version
- **`rules.eol_grace_days`**: `90`
- **`components.*.versions.*.security_until`**: set per version

Set from [`handbook/databases.md` on GitHub](https://github.com/waynestate/creed/blob/main/handbook/databases.md), impression `10e8473`. Found a mistake? Fix the Markdown; this page is rebuilt from it.