How to Change a Column Name in MySQL

When working with MySQL databases, there may be situations where you need to rename a column. Changing a column name in MySQL can be done using the `ALTER TABLE` SQL command. Below, we will walk through the process step by step.

Step 1: Identify the Table and Column

Before renaming a column, you need to know the table and the current column name that you wish to rename. Let’s assume we have a table named employees and a column named emp_name that we want to rename.

Step 2: Use the ALTER TABLE Command

To change the name of a column, use the ALTER TABLE command in the following syntax:

ALTER TABLE table_name CHANGE old_column_name new_column_name column_definition;

In this case, the SQL command will look like this:

ALTER TABLE employees CHANGE emp_name employee_name VARCHAR(255);

Here, emp_name is the old column name, employee_name is the new column name, and VARCHAR(255) is the column definition, which should be the same as the old column’s data type.

Step 3: Verify the Column Name Change

After running the ALTER TABLE command, you should verify that the column name has been successfully changed. You can do this by describing the table:

DESCRIBE employees;

This will display the structure of the employees table, including the updated column name.

Conclusion

Renaming a column in MySQL is a simple process using the ALTER TABLE command with the CHANGE clause. Make sure to specify the correct data type for the column when renaming it. With this command, you can easily manage column names in your database.