Scribd
Upload
137 views

Alter Table: Instructor: Samia Arshad

Alter Table allows changing the structure of an existing table. It can add or remove columns, modify column attributes, add or drop constraints like primary keys, foreign keys, unique keys and checks. This is safer than dropping and recreating the table. The ALTER TABLE statement is used along with ADD, DROP, MODIFY, CHANGE clauses.

Uploaded by

Hassnain Javed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
137 views

Alter Table: Instructor: Samia Arshad

Alter Table allows changing the structure of an existing table. It can add or remove columns, modify column attributes, add or drop constraints like primary keys, foreign keys, unique keys and checks. This is safer than dropping and recreating the table. The ALTER TABLE statement is used along with ADD, DROP, MODIFY, CHANGE clauses.

Uploaded by

Hassnain Javed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 10

Alter Table

Instructor: Samia arshad


Changing Tables
• Sometimes you want • ALTER TABLE can
to change the • Add a new column
structure of an • Remove an existing
existing table column
• One way is to DROP it • Add a new constraint
then rebuild it • Remove an existing
• This is dangerous, so constraint
there is the ALTER
TABLE command
instead

More SQL Data Definition


ALTERing Columns
To add or remove Examples:
Suppose we have a table
columns use student having id and degree
column
ALTER TABLE <table>
ALTER TABLE Student
ADD <col>
ADD Degree
ALTER TABLE <table> VARCHAR(20)
DROP COLUMN <name>
ALTER TABLE Student
DROP COLUMN Degree

More SQL Data Definition


ALTERing Columns
To change existing Examples
attribute type and Changing attribute
renaming a column type:
ALTER TABLE Student
ALTER TABLE <table>
Modify
Modify <col>
Degree CHAR(5)
Alter TABLE <table> Renaming attribute:
CHANGE <oldname> ALTER TABLE Student
<newname> CHANGE Degree
type(size) Degree1 varchar(25)
More SQL Data Definition
Adding Constraints
To add or remove Examples
columns use Adding constraint:
Unique Constraint
ALTER TABLE <table> ALTER TABLE STUDENT
ADD CONSTRAINT ADD CONSTRAINT
<definition> ck UNIQUE (DEGREE)
Not Null constraint
ALTER TABLE <table
• alter table STUDENT
name> modify
modify Degree varchar(25)
<column name>
Not Null;
type(size) not
null;
More SQL Data Definition
Adding Constraints
Primary Key • Foreign key
ALTER TABLE ALTER TABLE
STUDENT STUDENT
ADD CONSTRAINT ADD CONSTRAINT
pk Primary key fk Foreign key
(id) (column name)
references
primary
table(column
More SQL Data Definition name)
Adding constraints
• Check
ALTER TABLE
STUDENT
ADD CONSTRAINT
chk check
(id>10)

More SQL Data Definition


Dropping Constraint
Dropping Constraint:
ALTER TABLE
ALTER TABLE STUDENT
<table>
DROP foreign key
DROP
constraintname;
CONSTRAINT
Dropping Not Null
<name>
constraint
ALTER TABLE student
CHANGE column name
column name int(25) null;

More SQL Data Definition


Dropping Constraint
• To drop primary • Alter table
key, check, STUDENT drop
unique constraint, index
the following constraintname;
syntax will be
used

More SQL Data Definition


Drop table
Drop table Examples

Drop TABLE <table


name> Drop TABLE student

More SQL Data Definition

You might also like