sqlite-utils 4.0rc1 adds migrations and nested transactions

Simon Willison released the first release candidate for sqlite-utils 4.0, a major version upgrade of his Python library and CLI for SQLite. The release candidate introduces native support for database migrations, ported from the separate sqlite-migrate package. Developers can define migration functions in a central file and apply them programmatically or via command line. Additionally, the RC adds nested transactions, enabling more granular control over database writes. According to Simon Willison, the major version bump includes minor backwards-incompatible changes, so he encourages testing before the stable release. For AI workflow builders, sqlite-utils is a practical tool for managing lightweight, file-based databases often used to store embeddings, logs, or configuration data. The built-in migrations simplify schema evolution, and nested transactions help ensure atomicity in complex data processing pipelines.