A database development system is provided. The system includes a current-state source representation of a database that can be captured in a model of the database and a metadata component that preserves user intentions describing when a user interacts with the system to perform a refactoring operation (or other code enhancement) for use in subsequent operations by the system. A deployment component is provided that utilizes the preserved user intentions to optimize behavioral upgrades to the system, where simulations can be run against the model to facilitate efficient and automated deployments.