ALTER TABLE
The ALTER TABLE
command modifies the definition of a table.
Syntax
ALTER TABLE table_name
alter_option;
alter_option
depends on the operation you want to perform on the table. For all supported clauses, see the sections below.
Clause
ADD COLUMN
ALTER TABLE table_name
ADD [ COLUMN ] column_name data_type [ PRIMARY KEY ] [ DEFAULT default_expr ];
Parameter or clause | Description |
---|---|
ADD [ COLUMN ] | This clause adds a new column to the table. COLUMN is optional. |
column_name | Specify the name of the column you want to add. |
data_type | The data type of the new column. |
DEFAULT | The DEFAULT clause allows you to assign a default value to a column. This default value is used when a new row is inserted, and no explicit value is provided for that column. |
default_expr | default_expr is any constant value or variable-free expression that does not reference other columns in the current table or involve subqueries. The data type of default_expr must match the data type of the column.If default_expr is impure, such as using a function like now() , all historical data will be filled with the result of the expression evaluated at the time the statement was executed. For future insertions, the default expression will be evaluated at the time of each respective insertion. |
-- Add a column named "age" to a table named "employees" with a data type of integer
ALTER TABLE employees ADD age int;
note
-
If your table is defined with a schema registry, its columns can not be altered.
-
Columns added by this command cannot be used by any existing materialized views or indexes. You must create new materialized views or indexes to reference it.
DROP COLUMN
ALTER TABLE table_name
DROP [ COLUMN ] [ IF EXISTS ] column_name;
Parameter or clause | Description |
---|---|
DROP [ COLUMN ] | This clause drops an existing column from a table. COLUMN is optional. |
IF EXISTS | Do not return an error if the specified column does not exist. A notice is issued instead. |
column_name | Specify the column you want to remove. |
-- Remove a column named "fax" from the "employees" table
ALTER TABLE employees DROP fax;
note
-
If your table is defined with a schema registry, its column can not be altered.
-
You cannot drop columns referenced by materialized views or indexes.
OWNER TO
ALTER TABLE table_name
OWNER TO new_user;
Parameter or clause | Description |
---|---|
OWNER TO | This clause changes the owner of the table to the specified user. It will cascadingly change all related internal objects as well, and the associated indexes will be changed too. |
new_user | Specify the user you want to assign to the table. |
-- Change the owner of the table named "t" to the user "user1"
ALTER TABLE t OWNER TO user1;
SET SCHEMA
ALTER TABLE table_name
SET SCHEMA schema_name;
Parameter or clause | Description |
---|---|
SET SCHEMA | This clause moves the table into another schema. Associated indexes, constraints, and sequences owned by table columns are moved as well. |
schema_name | Specify the schema to which the table will be moved. |
-- Move a table named "test_table" into a schema named "test_schema"
ALTER TABLE test_table SET SCHEMA test_schema;
RENAME TO
ALTER TABLE table_name
RENAME TO new_name;
Parameter or clause | Description |
---|---|
RENAME TO | This clause changes the name of the table. |
new_name | The new name of the table. |
-- Change the name of the table named "table0" to "table1"
ALTER TABLE table0 RENAME TO table1;