postgresql/doc
Álvaro Herrera a9b4b0665d
doc: mention unusability of dropped CHECK to verify NOT NULL
It's possible to use a CHECK (col IS NOT NULL) constraint to skip
scanning a table for nulls when adding a NOT NULL constraint on the same
column.  However, if the CHECK constraint is dropped on the same command
that the NOT NULL is added, this fails, i.e., makes the NOT NULL addition
slow.  The best we can do about it at this stage is to document this so
that users aren't taken by surprise.

(In Postgres 18 you can directly add the NOT NULL constraint as NOT
VALID instead, so there's no longer much use for the CHECK constraint,
therefore no point in building mechanism to support the case better.)

Reported-by: Andrew <psy2000usa@yahoo.com>
Reviewed-by: David G. Johnston <david.g.johnston@gmail.com>
Discussion: https://postgr.es/m/175385113607.786.16774570234342968908@wrigleys.postgresql.org
2025-08-04 13:26:45 +02:00
..
src doc: mention unusability of dropped CHECK to verify NOT NULL 2025-08-04 13:26:45 +02:00
KNOWN_BUGS Remove extra newlines at end and beginning of files, add missing newlines 2010-08-19 05:57:36 +00:00
Makefile Remove distprep 2023-11-06 15:18:04 +01:00
MISSING_FEATURES Remove extra newlines at end and beginning of files, add missing newlines 2010-08-19 05:57:36 +00:00
TODO Change documentation references to PG website to use https: not http: 2017-05-20 21:50:47 -04:00