> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # ALTER SEQUENCE The `ALTER SEQUENCE` [statement](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/sql-statements) applies a [schema change](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/online-schema-changes) to a sequence. > [!NOTE] > > The `ALTER SEQUENCE` statement performs a schema change. For more information about how online schema changes work in CockroachDB, see [Online Schema Changes](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/online-schema-changes). ## Required privileges * To alter a sequence, the user must be the owner of the sequence. * To change the schema of a sequence with `ALTER SEQUENCE ... SET SCHEMA`, the user must have the `DROP` [privilege](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/security-reference/authorization#managing-privileges) on the sequence and the `CREATE` privilege on the new schema. * To rename a sequence with `ALTER SEQUENCE ... RENAME TO`, the user must have the `DROP` [privilege](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/security-reference/authorization#managing-privileges) on the sequence and the `CREATE` privilege on the sequence's database. ## Syntax ![alter\_sequence syntax diagram](https://mintcdn.com/cockroachlabs/O8LdfYQ-dz7oGPVh/images/sql-diagrams/v24.2/alter_sequence.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=O8LdfYQ-dz7oGPVh\&q=85\&s=53ea05e449213e3c5ca2d689ae4202bd) ## Parameters | Parameter | Description | | - | - | | `IF EXISTS` | Modify the sequence only if it exists; if it does not exist, do not return an error. | | `sequence_name` | The name of the sequence. | | `RENAME TO sequence_name` | Rename the sequence to `sequence_name`, which must be unique to its database and follow these [identifier rules](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/keywords-and-identifiers#identifiers). Name changes do not propagate to the table(s) using the sequence. `RENAME TO` only changes the name of the sequence; it cannot move the sequence to a different database or schema. To change a sequence's schema, use `ALTER SEQUENCE ... SET SCHEMA` instead. | | `CYCLE`/`NO CYCLE` | The sequence will wrap around when the sequence value reaches the maximum or minimum value. `CYCLE` is not implemented. If `NO CYCLE` is set, the sequence will not wrap. | | `OWNED BY column_name` | Associates the sequence to a particular column. If that column or its parent table is dropped, the sequence will also be dropped. Specifying an owner column with `OWNED BY` replaces any existing owner column on the sequence. To remove existing column ownership on the sequence and make the column free-standing, specify `OWNED BY NONE`. **Default:** `NONE` | | `CACHE` | The number of sequence values to cache in memory for reuse in the session. A cache size of `1` means that there is no cache, and cache sizes of less than `1` are not valid. **Default:** `1` (sequences are not cached by default) | | `MINVALUE` | The new minimum value of the sequence. **Default:** `1` | | `MAXVALUE` | The new maximum value of the sequence. **Default:** `9223372036854775807` | | `INCREMENT` | The new value by which the sequence is incremented. A negative number creates a descending sequence. A positive number creates an ascending sequence. | | `START [WITH]` | The value the sequence starts at if you `RESTART` or if the sequence reaches `MAXVALUE` and `CYCLE` is set. | | `RESTART [WITH]` | Sets `nextval` to the specified number, or back to the original `START` value. | | `VIRTUAL` | Creates a *virtual sequence*. Virtual sequences are sequences that do not generate monotonically increasing values and instead produce values like those generated by the built-in function [`unique_rowid()`](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/functions-and-operators). They are intended for use in combination with [`SERIAL`](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/serial)-typed columns. | | `SET SCHEMA schema_name` | Change the schema of the sequence to `schema_name`. | | `OWNER TO role_spec` | Change the owner of the sequence to `role_spec`. | ## Examples ### Change the increment value of a sequence In this example, we're going to change the increment value of a sequence from its current state (i.e., `1`) to `2`. ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > CREATE SEQUENCE customer_seq; ``` ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > SHOW CREATE customer_seq; ``` ``` table_name | create_statement ---------------+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- customer_seq | CREATE SEQUENCE customer_seq MINVALUE 1 MAXVALUE 9223372036854775807 INCREMENT 1 START 1 (1 row) ``` ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > ALTER SEQUENCE customer_seq INCREMENT 2; ``` ``` table_name | create_statement ---------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- customer_seq | CREATE SEQUENCE public.customer_seq MINVALUE 1 MAXVALUE 9223372036854775807 INCREMENT 2 START 1 (1 row) ``` ### Rename a sequence In this example, we will change the name of sequence. ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > CREATE SEQUENCE even_numbers INCREMENT 2 START 2; ``` ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > SHOW SEQUENCES; ``` ``` sequence_schema | sequence_name ------------------+---------------- public | even_numbers (1 row) ``` ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > ALTER SEQUENCE even_numbers RENAME TO even_sequence; ``` ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > SHOW SEQUENCES; ``` ``` sequence_schema | sequence_name ------------------+---------------- public | even_sequence (1 row) ``` ### Change the schema of a sequence Suppose you [create a sequence](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/create-sequence) that you would like to add to a new schema called `cockroach_labs`: ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > CREATE SEQUENCE even_numbers INCREMENT 2 START 2; ``` ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > SHOW SEQUENCES; ``` ``` sequence_schema | sequence_name ------------------+---------------- public | even_numbers (1 row) ``` By default, [unqualified sequences](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/sql-name-resolution#lookup-with-unqualified-names) created in the database belong to the `public` schema: ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > SHOW CREATE public.even_numbers; ``` ``` table_name | create_statement ----------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- public.even_numbers | CREATE SEQUENCE public.even_numbers MINVALUE 1 MAXVALUE 9223372036854775807 INCREMENT 2 START 2 (1 row) ``` If the new schema does not already exist, [create it](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/create-schema): ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > CREATE SCHEMA IF NOT EXISTS cockroach_labs; ``` Then, change the sequence's schema: ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > ALTER SEQUENCE even_numbers SET SCHEMA cockroach_labs; ``` ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > SHOW CREATE public.even_numbers; ``` ``` ERROR: relation "public.even_numbers" does not exist SQLSTATE: 42P01 ``` ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > SHOW SEQUENCES; ``` ``` sequence_schema | sequence_name ------------------+---------------- cockroach_labs | even_numbers (1 row) ``` ```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}} > SHOW CREATE cockroach_labs.even_numbers; ``` ``` table_name | create_statement ------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- cockroach_labs.even_numbers | CREATE SEQUENCE cockroach_labs.even_numbers MINVALUE 1 MAXVALUE 9223372036854775807 INCREMENT 2 START 2 (1 row) ``` ## See also * [`CREATE SEQUENCE`](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/create-sequence) * [`DROP SEQUENCE`](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/drop-sequence) * [`SHOW SEQUENCES`](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/show-sequences) * [Functions and Operators](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/functions-and-operators) * [SQL Statements](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/sql-statements) * [Online Schema Changes](https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/docs/v24.2/online-schema-changes)