# Schema Tests

Schema tests in Elementary are designed to help you monitor and maintain the integrity of your data structures. These tests are crucial for detecting unexpected changes in your database schema that could potentially break your data pipelines or lead to data quality issues.

Elementary offers two types of schema tests:

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Schema Changes</strong></td><td>Monitors real-time changes in your database schema, alerting you to critical modifications such as deleted tables, added or removed columns, and changes in column data types.</td><td></td><td><a href="/pages/BUK8kiDRv9vF51oTrSfb">/pages/BUK8kiDRv9vF51oTrSfb</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Schema Changes From Baseline</strong></td><td>Compares your current schema against a predefined baseline, allowing you to track deviations from an expected schema configuration over time.</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

### Why Use Schema Tests?

1. **Catch Breaking Changes**: Identify schema modifications that could break downstream processes.
2. **Maintain Data Consistency**: Ensure that your data structures remain consistent with your expectations and documentation.
3. **Streamline Development**: Easily track schema changes across different environments or over time.


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