Wiki / Configuration Parameters

When allow_alter_system is set to off, an error is returned if the ALTER SYSTEM command is executed. This parameter can only be set in the postgresql.conf file or on the server command line. The default value is on. Note that this setting must not be regarded as a security feature. It only disables the ALTER SYSTEM command. It does not prevent a superuser from changing the configuration using other SQL commands. A superuser has many ways of executing shell commands at the operating system level, and can therefore modify postgresql.auto.conf regardless of the value of this setting. Turning this setting off is intended for environments where the configuration of PostgreSQL is managed by some external tool. In such environments, a well-intentioned superuser might mistakenly use ALTER SYSTEM to change the configuration instead of using the external tool. This might result in unintended behavior, such as the external tool overwriting the change at some later point in time when it updates the configuration. Setting this parameter to off can help avoid such mistakes. This parameter only controls the use of ALTER SYSTEM. The settings stored in postgresql.auto.conf take effect even if allow_alter_system is set to off.

English manual coverage begins with PostgreSQL 7.4. Source history and runtime observations have their own recorded version boundaries.

boot val

on

category

Version and Platform Compatibility / Other Platforms and Clients

context

sighup

documented

true

enumvals

Unknown

extra desc

Can be set to off for environments where global configuration changes should be made using a different method.

lang

en

max val

Unknown

metadata version

18

min val

Unknown

name

allow_alter_system

short desc

Allows running the ALTER SYSTEM command.

source

pg-settings-source-snapshot

unit

Unknown

vartype

bool