PostgreSQL 8.2.20 Documentation
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# ALTER DATABASE

## Name

ALTER DATABASE -- change a database

## Synopsis

    ALTER DATABASE name [ [ WITH ] option [ ... ] ]

    where option can be:

        CONNECTION LIMIT connlimit

    ALTER DATABASE name SET parameter { TO | = } { value | DEFAULT }
    ALTER DATABASE name RESET parameter

    ALTER DATABASE name RENAME TO newname

    ALTER DATABASE name OWNER TO new_owner

## Description

`ALTER DATABASE` changes the attributes of a database.

The first form changes certain per-database settings. (See below for details.) Only the database owner or a superuser can change these settings.

The second and third forms change the session default for a run-time configuration variable for a PostgreSQL database. Whenever a new session is subsequently started in that database, the specified value becomes the session default value. The database-specific default overrides whatever setting is present in `postgresql.conf` or has been received from the `postgres` command line. Only the database owner or a superuser can change the session defaults for a database. Certain variables cannot be set this way, or can only be set by a superuser.

The fourth form changes the name of the database. Only the database owner or a superuser can rename a database; non-superuser owners must also have the `CREATEDB` privilege. The current database cannot be renamed. (Connect to a different database if you need to do that.)

The fifth form changes the owner of the database. To alter the owner, you must own the database and also be a direct or indirect member of the new owning role, and you must have the `CREATEDB` privilege. (Note that superusers have all these privileges automatically.)

## Parameters

`name`

  The name of the database whose attributes are to be altered.

`connlimit`

  How many concurrent connections can be made to this database. -1 means no limit.

`parameter`
`value`

  Set this database's session default for the specified configuration parameter to the given value. If `value` is `DEFAULT` or, equivalently, `RESET` is used, the database-specific setting is removed, so the system-wide default setting will be inherited in new sessions. Use `RESET ALL` to clear all database-specific settings.

  See SET and Chapter 17 for more information about allowed parameter names and values.

`newname`

  The new name of the database.

`new_owner`

  The new owner of the database.

## Notes

It is also possible to tie a session default to a specific user rather than to a database; see ALTER USER. User-specific settings override database-specific ones if there is a conflict.

## Examples

To disable index scans by default in the database `test`:

    ALTER DATABASE test SET enable_indexscan TO off;

## Compatibility

The `ALTER DATABASE` statement is a PostgreSQL extension.

## See Also

CREATE DATABASE, DROP DATABASE, SET

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