Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with a repository-based state diffing system and migration script generating system for databases are described. In one embodiment, the state diffing system includes an export function configured to automatically control placement of selected objects from a development database into a repository based on at least placement rules that specify a folder structure and locations for different types of objects. In one embodiment, the state diffing system includes a diffing function which compares the state of the database in two different branches and then generates executable scripts that be used to migrate a target database from one state to the other.