ALTER_ROUTINE(7pg17)

💅 ALTER ROUTINE — the glow-up command for your routines (PostgreSQL 17.11 docs, bestie) ✨

🌸 NAME 🌸

ALTER_ROUTINE — change the definition of a routine. That's it, that's the vibe. 🎀

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

Okay so here's the whole menu, no cap — copy it exactly, don't @ me:

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

and action is one of these icons 💅:

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 🦋

ALTER ROUTINE changes the definition of a routine — and a routine can be an aggregate function, a normal function, or a procedure. Like, it's the umbrella term, the main character of callables, iykyk. 🌈

For the actual tea on the parameters, more examples, and further details, go see ALTER AGGREGATE (ALTER_AGGREGATE(7)), ALTER FUNCTION (ALTER_FUNCTION(7)), and ALTER PROCEDURE (ALTER_PROCEDURE(7)). They've got the lore. 📚

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🍓 EXAMPLES 🍓

Wanna rename the routine foo for type integer to foobar? Slay, do this:

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 genuinely does not care. Queen behavior. 👑

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💜 COMPATIBILITY 💜

This statement is partially compatible with the ALTER ROUTINE statement in the SQL standard — so like, it's mostly matching the group chat, but not fully fr fr. See under ALTER FUNCTION (ALTER_FUNCTION(7)) and ALTER PROCEDURE (ALTER_PROCEDURE(7)) for more details. 📖

Also, letting routine names refer to aggregate functions is a PostgreSQL extension. So that's a Postgres-original, bestie. 🫶

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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. Like, it does not exist. Don't go looking for it, she's not coming to the party. 🙈

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and that's the whole page, mwah 💋 — this was PostgreSQL 17.11, dated 2026, ALTER ROUTINE(7), signing off 🧚‍♀️✨