validate

The validate command checks your changelog and identifies any possible errors with Liquibase syntax that may cause the update command to fail.

Note: The validate command examines Liquibase syntax and behaviors related to Liquibase operations. It does not check SQL for correctness and does not anticipate database deployment errors resulting from malformed SQL.

Uses

Use the validate command to detect if there are any issues with a changelog before running the update command. Validation helps you avoid a partial update, where only some changesets are applied due to an error in your changelog file.

Use the validate command to ensure:

  • The XML, YAML, JSON, or formatted SQL is structured correctly
  • Referenced files can be found
  • Any attributes you specify in your changelog match the XSD
  • There are no duplicated id, author, and file combinations
  • There are no checksum errors
  • The DATABASECHANGELOG and DATABASECHANGELOGLOCK tables exist (if not, it creates them)

Warning: The validate command only looks for possible errors in the changelog. It does not check for possible errors that might result from applying the changes to a specific database.

Syntax

To run the validate command, specify the driver, classpath, and URL in the Liquibase properties file. For more information, see Create and Configure a liquibase.properties File. You can also specify these properties in your command line.

Then run the validate command:

liquibase validate --changelog-file=example-changelog.xml

Command parameters

Attribute Definition Requirement

--changelog-file=<string>

The root changelog

 Required

--url=<string>

The JDBC database connection URL. See Using JDBC URL in Liquibase.

 Required

--default-catalog-name=<string>

Name of the default catalog to use for the database connection

 Optional

--default-schema-name=<string>

Name of the default schema to use for the database connection. If defaultSchemaName is set, then objects do not have to be fully qualified. This means you can refer to just mytable instead of myschema.mytable.

Note: In the properties file and JAVA_OPTS only: in 4.18.0 and earlier, specify this parameter using the syntax defaultSchemaName. In 4.19.0 and later, use the syntax liquibase.command.defaultSchemaName.

Note: In Liquibase 4.12.0 and later, you can use mixed-case schema names if you set --preserve-schema-case to true. However, in Liquibase 4.12.0–4.22.0, the Liquibase validator still throws a DatabaseException error if you specify a mixed-case value of defaultSchemaName. In 4.23.0 and later, the Liquibase validator accepts any casing.

 Optional

--driver=<string>

The JDBC driver class

 Optional

--driver-properties-file=<string>

The JDBC driver properties file

 Optional

--password=<string>

Password to connect to the target database.

Tip: It is a best practice to store sensitive data in a Secrets Management tool with Liquibase Pro.

 Optional

--username=<string>

Username to connect to the target database.

Tip: It is a best practice to store sensitive data in a Secrets Management tool with Liquibase Pro.

 Optional
Attribute Definition Requirement

cmdArgs: { changelog-file: "<string>" }

The root changelog

 Required

cmdArgs: { url: "<string>" }

The JDBC database connection URL. See Using JDBC URL in Liquibase.

 Required

cmdArgs: { default-catalog-name: "<string>" }

Name of the default catalog to use for the database connection

 Optional

cmdArgs: { default-schema-name: "<string>" }

Name of the default schema to use for the database connection. If defaultSchemaName is set, then objects do not have to be fully qualified. This means you can refer to just mytable instead of myschema.mytable.

Note: In the properties file and JAVA_OPTS only: in 4.18.0 and earlier, specify this parameter using the syntax defaultSchemaName. In 4.19.0 and later, use the syntax liquibase.command.defaultSchemaName.

Note: In Liquibase 4.12.0 and later, you can use mixed-case schema names if you set --preserve-schema-case to true. However, in Liquibase 4.12.0–4.22.0, the Liquibase validator still throws a DatabaseException error if you specify a mixed-case value of defaultSchemaName. In 4.23.0 and later, the Liquibase validator accepts any casing.

 Optional

cmdArgs: { driver: "<string>" }

The JDBC driver class

 Optional

cmdArgs: { driver-properties-file: "<string>" }

The JDBC driver properties file

 Optional

cmdArgs: { password: "<string>" }

Password to connect to the target database.

Tip: It is a best practice to store sensitive data in a Secrets Management tool with Liquibase Pro.

 Optional

cmdArgs: { username: "<string>" }

Username to connect to the target database.

Tip: It is a best practice to store sensitive data in a Secrets Management tool with Liquibase Pro.

 Optional
Attribute Definition Requirement

liquibase.command.changelogFile: <string>

liquibase.command.validate.changelogFile: <string>

The root changelog

 Required

liquibase.command.url: <string>

liquibase.command.validate.url: <string>

The JDBC database connection URL. See Using JDBC URL in Liquibase.

 Required

liquibase.command.defaultCatalogName: <string>

liquibase.command.validate.defaultCatalogName: <string>

Name of the default catalog to use for the database connection

 Optional

liquibase.command.defaultSchemaName: <string>

liquibase.command.validate.defaultSchemaName: <string>

Name of the default schema to use for the database connection. If defaultSchemaName is set, then objects do not have to be fully qualified. This means you can refer to just mytable instead of myschema.mytable.

Note: In the properties file and JAVA_OPTS only: in 4.18.0 and earlier, specify this parameter using the syntax defaultSchemaName. In 4.19.0 and later, use the syntax liquibase.command.defaultSchemaName.

Note: In Liquibase 4.12.0 and later, you can use mixed-case schema names if you set --preserve-schema-case to true. However, in Liquibase 4.12.0–4.22.0, the Liquibase validator still throws a DatabaseException error if you specify a mixed-case value of defaultSchemaName. In 4.23.0 and later, the Liquibase validator accepts any casing.

 Optional

liquibase.command.driver: <string>

liquibase.command.validate.driver: <string>

The JDBC driver class

 Optional

liquibase.command.driverPropertiesFile: <string>

liquibase.command.validate.driverPropertiesFile: <string>

The JDBC driver properties file

 Optional

liquibase.command.password: <string>

liquibase.command.validate.password: <string>

Password to connect to the target database.

Tip: It is a best practice to store sensitive data in a Secrets Management tool with Liquibase Pro.

 Optional

liquibase.command.username: <string>

liquibase.command.validate.username: <string>

Username to connect to the target database.

Tip: It is a best practice to store sensitive data in a Secrets Management tool with Liquibase Pro.

 Optional
Attribute Definition Requirement

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.changelogFile=<string>

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.validate.changelogFile=<string>

The root changelog

 Required

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.url=<string>

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.validate.url=<string>

The JDBC database connection URL. See Using JDBC URL in Liquibase.

 Required

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.defaultCatalogName=<string>

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.validate.defaultCatalogName=<string>

Name of the default catalog to use for the database connection

 Optional

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.defaultSchemaName=<string>

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.validate.defaultSchemaName=<string>

Name of the default schema to use for the database connection. If defaultSchemaName is set, then objects do not have to be fully qualified. This means you can refer to just mytable instead of myschema.mytable.

Note: In the properties file and JAVA_OPTS only: in 4.18.0 and earlier, specify this parameter using the syntax defaultSchemaName. In 4.19.0 and later, use the syntax liquibase.command.defaultSchemaName.

Note: In Liquibase 4.12.0 and later, you can use mixed-case schema names if you set --preserve-schema-case to true. However, in Liquibase 4.12.0–4.22.0, the Liquibase validator still throws a DatabaseException error if you specify a mixed-case value of defaultSchemaName. In 4.23.0 and later, the Liquibase validator accepts any casing.

 Optional

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.driver=<string>

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.validate.driver=<string>

The JDBC driver class

 Optional

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.driverPropertiesFile=<string>

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.validate.driverPropertiesFile=<string>

The JDBC driver properties file

 Optional

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.password=<string>

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.validate.password=<string>

Password to connect to the target database.

Tip: It is a best practice to store sensitive data in a Secrets Management tool with Liquibase Pro.

 Optional

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.username=<string>

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.validate.username=<string>

Username to connect to the target database.

Tip: It is a best practice to store sensitive data in a Secrets Management tool with Liquibase Pro.

 Optional
Attribute Definition Requirement

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_CHANGELOG_FILE=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_VALIDATE_CHANGELOG_FILE=<string>

The root changelog

 Required

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_URL=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_VALIDATE_URL=<string>

The JDBC database connection URL. See Using JDBC URL in Liquibase.

 Required

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_DEFAULT_CATALOG_NAME=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_VALIDATE_DEFAULT_CATALOG_NAME=<string>

Name of the default catalog to use for the database connection

 Optional

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_DEFAULT_SCHEMA_NAME=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_VALIDATE_DEFAULT_SCHEMA_NAME=<string>

Name of the default schema to use for the database connection. If defaultSchemaName is set, then objects do not have to be fully qualified. This means you can refer to just mytable instead of myschema.mytable.

Note: In the properties file and JAVA_OPTS only: in 4.18.0 and earlier, specify this parameter using the syntax defaultSchemaName. In 4.19.0 and later, use the syntax liquibase.command.defaultSchemaName.

Note: In Liquibase 4.12.0 and later, you can use mixed-case schema names if you set --preserve-schema-case to true. However, in Liquibase 4.12.0–4.22.0, the Liquibase validator still throws a DatabaseException error if you specify a mixed-case value of defaultSchemaName. In 4.23.0 and later, the Liquibase validator accepts any casing.

 Optional

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_DRIVER=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_VALIDATE_DRIVER=<string>

The JDBC driver class

 Optional

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_DRIVER_PROPERTIES_FILE=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_VALIDATE_DRIVER_PROPERTIES_FILE=<string>

The JDBC driver properties file

 Optional

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_PASSWORD=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_VALIDATE_PASSWORD=<string>

Password to connect to the target database.

Tip: It is a best practice to store sensitive data in a Secrets Management tool with Liquibase Pro.

 Optional

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_USERNAME=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_VALIDATE_USERNAME=<string>

Username to connect to the target database.

Tip: It is a best practice to store sensitive data in a Secrets Management tool with Liquibase Pro.

 Optional

* Liquibase will check nested changelogs for definitions of the changesets to validate.

Note: The username and password attributes are not required for connections and systems which use alternate means of authentication. Also, you can specify database credentials as part of the url attribute.

Output

Liquibase Version: 4.9.1
Liquibase Community 4.9.1 by Liquibase
No validation errors found.
Liquibase command 'validate' was executed successfully.

Related links