change_table(table_name, base = self, **options) public

A block for changing columns in table.

# change_table() yields a Table instance
change_table(:suppliers) do |t|
  t.column :name, :string, limit: 60
  # Other column alterations here
end

The options hash can include the following keys:

:bulk

Set this to true to make this a bulk alter query, such as

ALTER TABLE `users` ADD COLUMN age INT, ADD COLUMN birthdate DATETIME ...

Defaults to false.

Only supported on the MySQL and PostgreSQL adapter, ignored elsewhere.

Add a column
change_table(:suppliers) do |t|
  t.column :name, :string, limit: 60
end
Change type of a column
change_table(:suppliers) do |t|
  t.change :metadata, :json
end
Add 2 integer columns
change_table(:suppliers) do |t|
  t.integer :width, :height, null: false, default: 0
end
Add created_at/updated_at columns
change_table(:suppliers) do |t|
  t.timestamps
end
Add a foreign key column
change_table(:suppliers) do |t|
  t.references :company
end

Creates a company_id(bigint) column.

Add a polymorphic foreign key column
change_table(:suppliers) do |t|
  t.belongs_to :company, polymorphic: true
end

Creates company_type(varchar) and company_id(bigint) columns.

Remove a column
change_table(:suppliers) do |t|
  t.remove :company
end
Remove several columns
change_table(:suppliers) do |t|
  t.remove :company_id
  t.remove :width, :height
end
Remove an index
change_table(:suppliers) do |t|
  t.remove_index :company_id
end

See also Table for details on all of the various column transformations.

Show source
Register or log in to add new notes.
September 25, 2008
18 thanks

All methods

change_table :table do |t|

  t.column # adds an ordinary column. Ex: t.column(:name, :string)
  t.index # adds a new index.
  t.timestamps
  t.change # changes the column definition. Ex: t.change(:name, :string, :limit => 80)
  t.change_default # changes the column default value.
  t.rename # changes the name of the column.
  t.references
  t.belongs_to
  t.string
  t.text
  t.integer
  t.float
  t.decimal
  t.datetime
  t.timestamp
  t.time
  t.date
  t.binary
  t.boolean
  t.remove
  t.remove_references
  t.remove_belongs_to
  t.remove_index
  t.remove_timestamps
end