# Databricks details how Snorkel uses Lakebase branching for per-PR test databases

> Original title: Lakebase branching for CI/CD: lessons from 100 PR databases

- Source: Databricks Blog
- Published: 2026-10-31T21:25:00.000Z
- Bad Influence: https://badinfluence.news/items/ah134ywmcfkki38ae1yt517ju
- Original: https://www.databricks.com/blog/lakebase-branching-cicd-lessons-100-pr-databases

## Summary

Snorkel AI used Lakebase branching to give each pull request its own copy of its roughly 1 TB production Postgres database, cutting provisioning from about 20 minutes to under 60 seconds at p95. The setup keeps the main branch synced with production via AWS DMS, creates a TTL-bound branch per PR, and authenticates CI with service principals and short-lived OAuth tokens.

## Why it matters

The case shows how copy-on-write branching and TTLs can replace slow database restores in CI, with concrete provisioning, storage, and security design details.