How to rename a column name in maria DB

In MariaDB, renaming column names can be performed using the ALTER TABLE command. The syntax involves using the CHANGE clause, with the following format:

sql
ALTER TABLE table_name CHANGE old_column_name new_column_name column_definition;

Here, table_name refers to the table to be modified, old_column_name is the original column name, new_column_name is the new column name, and column_definition specifies the column's definition, including data types and other attributes.

Example Steps:

Suppose we have a table named employees containing a column emp_name, which we wish to rename to employee_name. This column has a data type of VARCHAR(50). The following are the specific steps:

1. First, use the DESCRIBE command to inspect the structure of the employees table, confirming column names and data types:

   sql
   DESCRIBE employees;

2. Based on the retrieved information, execute the column renaming operation. Assuming emp_name has a data type of VARCHAR(50), the command is:

   sql
   ALTER TABLE employees CHANGE emp_name employee_name VARCHAR(50);

3. Finally, verify the change by re-executing the DESCRIBE command:

   sql
   DESCRIBE employees;

By following these steps, we can safely rename column names in MariaDB while preserving the column's data type and attributes. This operation is frequently used during database restructuring or data standardization processes.