DOC: fixes multiple errors in alter table doc

Chao Li <li.evan.chao@gmail.com>

From: Chao Li <li.evan.chao@gmail.com>

To: Postgres hackers <pgsql-hackers@lists.postgresql.org>

Date: 2025-12-18T07:22:09Z

Lists: pgsql-hackers

Commits

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doc: Clarify that COLUMN is optional in ALTER TABLE ... ADD/DROP COLUMN.
- 921f4a15c10f 14.23 landed
- 87da83bde9f8 15.18 landed
- f51821d9cf76 16.14 landed
- 28239b761d20 17.10 landed
- e46b915db518 18.4 landed
- 9b0e5bd5320f 19 (unreleased) landed

Attachments

v1-0001-doc-clarify-and-complete-ALTER-TABLE-syntax-in-re.patch (application/octet-stream) patch v1-0001

Hi Hacker,

While working on a patch these days, my eyes are on the “alter table” doc,
and found multiple errors:

1. Several sub-commands are missed in the top “action” list:

   * ALTER COLUMN SET <sequence-option>
   * ALTER COLUMN RESTART
   * RENAME
   * SET SCHEMA
   * ATTACH PARTITION
   * DETACH PARTITION
   * MERGE PARTITION
   * SPLIT PARTITION

2. In sub-command details section, "ADD COLUMN [ IF NOT EXISTS ]” missed
“[]" with “COLUMN”, which is misleading, because “COLUMN” is actually
optional.

3. For all “alter column” sub-commands, "ALTER [ COLUMN ]” are omitted,
which is also confusing, because none of other sub-commands omit their
prefix part.

This patch fixed all these issue.

Best regards,
--
Chao Li (Evan)
HighGo Software Co., Ltd.
https://www.highgo.com/