RELEASE SAVEPOINT(7) PostgreSQL 17.4 Documentation RELEASE SAVEPOINT(7)
NAME
RELEASE_SAVEPOINT - release a previously defined savepoint
SYNOPSIS
RELEASE [ SAVEPOINT ] savepoint_name
DESCRIPTION
RELEASE SAVEPOINT releases the named savepoint and all active
savepoints that were created after the named savepoint, and frees their
resources. All changes made since the creation of the savepoint that
didn't already get rolled back are merged into the transaction or
savepoint that was active when the named savepoint was created. Changes
made after RELEASE SAVEPOINT will also be part of this active
transaction or savepoint.
PARAMETERS
savepoint_name
The name of the savepoint to release.
NOTES
Specifying a savepoint name that was not previously defined is an
error.
It is not possible to release a savepoint when the transaction is in an
aborted state; to do that, use ROLLBACK TO SAVEPOINT
(ROLLBACK_TO_SAVEPOINT(7)).
If multiple savepoints have the same name, only the most recently
defined unreleased one is released. Repeated commands will release
progressively older savepoints.
EXAMPLES
To establish and later release a savepoint:
BEGIN;
INSERT INTO table1 VALUES (3);
SAVEPOINT my_savepoint;
INSERT INTO table1 VALUES (4);
RELEASE SAVEPOINT my_savepoint;
COMMIT;
The above transaction will insert both 3 and 4.
A more complex example with multiple nested subtransactions:
BEGIN;
INSERT INTO table1 VALUES (1);
SAVEPOINT sp1;
INSERT INTO table1 VALUES (2);
SAVEPOINT sp2;
INSERT INTO table1 VALUES (3);
RELEASE SAVEPOINT sp2;
INSERT INTO table1 VALUES (4))); -- generates an error
In this example, the application requests the release of the savepoint
sp2, which inserted 3. This changes the insert's transaction context to
sp1. When the statement attempting to insert value 4 generates an
error, the insertion of 2 and 4 are lost because they are in the same,
now-rolled back savepoint, and value 3 is in the same transaction
context. The application can now only choose one of these two commands,
since all other commands will be ignored:
ROLLBACK;
ROLLBACK TO SAVEPOINT sp1;
Choosing ROLLBACK will abort everything, including value 1, whereas
ROLLBACK TO SAVEPOINT sp1 will retain value 1 and allow the transaction
to continue.
COMPATIBILITY
This command conforms to the SQL standard. The standard specifies that
the key word SAVEPOINT is mandatory, but PostgreSQL allows it to be
omitted.
SEE ALSO
BEGIN(7), COMMIT(7), ROLLBACK(7), ROLLBACK TO SAVEPOINT
(ROLLBACK_TO_SAVEPOINT(7)), SAVEPOINT(7)
PostgreSQL 17.4 2025 RELEASE SAVEPOINT(7)
postgresql 17.4 - Generated Sat Mar 22 18:50:19 CDT 2025