How Can I Change Column Order in a PostgreSQL Table?

Altering Column Position in PostgreSQL Database Tables

Changing the position of a column within a PostgreSQL table is not directly supported by the database. This is because PostgreSQL defines column order based on the "attnum" column in the "pg_attribute" table.

As stated in the PostgreSQL Wiki:

PostgreSQL currently defines column order based on the attnum column of the pg_attribute table. The only way to change column order is either by recreating the table or by adding columns and rotating data until you reach the desired layout.

Therefore, unlike some other database brands, there is no standardized SQL solution for altering column position in PostgreSQL.

Possible Solutions

Despite the lack of a direct solution, you can explore the following workarounds:

• Recreate the Table: Drop the existing table and create a new one with the desired column order. However, this approach may be inconvenient or impractical for large tables.
• Column Rotation: Add new columns and move data between them until you achieve the desired column arrangement. This process can be time-consuming and requires precise data handling.
• View Creation: Create a view that specifies the desired column order. While this workaround does not affect the physical table structure, it can provide a flexible way to display data in a specific order.

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