ALTER_ROUTINE(7)

💖 ALTER ROUTINE 💖

okay bestie, welcome to ALTER_ROUTINE(7) from the PostgreSQL 18.6 Documentation — this is the page where we learn how to glow-up a routine that's already out there in the world. ✨

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🌸 NAME 🌸

ALTER_ROUTINE — change the definition of a routine

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

ALTER ROUTINE name [ ( [ [ argmode ] [ argname ] argtype [, ...] ] ) ]
    action [ ... ] [ RESTRICT ]
ALTER ROUTINE name [ ( [ [ argmode ] [ argname ] argtype [, ...] ] ) ]
    RENAME TO new_name
ALTER ROUTINE name [ ( [ [ argmode ] [ argname ] argtype [, ...] ] ) ]
    OWNER TO { new_owner | CURRENT_ROLE | CURRENT_USER | SESSION_USER }
ALTER ROUTINE name [ ( [ [ argmode ] [ argname ] argtype [, ...] ] ) ]
    SET SCHEMA new_schema
ALTER ROUTINE name [ ( [ [ argmode ] [ argname ] argtype [, ...] ] ) ]
    [ NO ] DEPENDS ON EXTENSION extension_name

where action is one of:

IMMUTABLE | STABLE | VOLATILE
[ NOT ] LEAKPROOF
[ EXTERNAL ] SECURITY INVOKER | [ EXTERNAL ] SECURITY DEFINER
PARALLEL { UNSAFE | RESTRICTED | SAFE }
COST execution_cost
ROWS result_rows
SET configuration_parameter { TO | = } { value | DEFAULT }
SET configuration_parameter FROM CURRENT
RESET configuration_parameter
RESET ALL

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✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

so ALTER ROUTINE changes the definition of a routine. and bestie, a routine here is the umbrella term — it can be an aggregate function, a normal function, or a procedure. it's giving "one command, three friend groups." 💅

for the actual description of the parameters, plus more examples and further details, go look under ALTER AGGREGATE (ALTER_AGGREGATE(7)), ALTER FUNCTION (ALTER_FUNCTION(7)), and ALTER PROCEDURE (ALTER_PROCEDURE(7)). the deets live there, this page is just the vibe-check entrance. 🦋

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🌈 EXAMPLES 🌈

want to rename the routine foo for type integer to foobar? say less:

ALTER ROUTINE foo(integer) RENAME TO foobar;

and the iconic part: this command will work independent of whether foo is an aggregate, function, or procedure. it does not care. it does not ask questions. it just slays. 👑

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💜 COMPATIBILITY 💜

ngl, this statement is partially compatible with the ALTER ROUTINE statement in the SQL standard. if you want the whole breakdown, see under ALTER FUNCTION (ALTER_FUNCTION(7)) and ALTER PROCEDURE (ALTER_PROCEDURE(7)) for more details.

one thing that's PostgreSQL-only, no cap: allowing routine names to refer to aggregate functions is a PostgreSQL extension. 🫶

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👑 SEE ALSO 👑

• ALTER AGGREGATE (ALTER_AGGREGATE(7))
• ALTER FUNCTION (ALTER_FUNCTION(7))
• ALTER PROCEDURE (ALTER_PROCEDURE(7))
• DROP ROUTINE (DROP_ROUTINE(7))

💀 heads up bestie: note that there is no CREATE ROUTINE command. i know. i know. we all wanted one. 😭

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PostgreSQL 18.6 • 2026 — that's the version and the date, babes, and this has been your girl walking you through ALTER ROUTINE(7). go rename something. respectfully. 💖✨🎀