validate

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

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)

Note: 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 arguments

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.

Tip: In Liquibase v4.23.0+, camelCase for defaultSchemaName works successfully. If you are on an earlier version, camelCase may not work as expected.

Note: The syntax liquibase.command.defaultSchemaName is valid for v4.19.0+. For prior versions, use defaultSchemaName.

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.

Tip: In Liquibase v4.23.0+, camelCase for defaultSchemaName works successfully. If you are on an earlier version, camelCase may not work as expected.

Note: The syntax liquibase.command.defaultSchemaName is valid for v4.19.0+. For prior versions, use defaultSchemaName.

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.<cmdName>.changelogFile: <string>

The root changelog

Required

liquibase.command.url: <string>

liquibase.command.<cmdName>.url: <string>

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

Required

liquibase.command.defaultCatalogName: <string>

liquibase.command.<cmdName>.defaultCatalogName: <string>

Name of the default catalog to use for the database connection

Optional

liquibase.command.defaultSchemaName: <string>

liquibase.command.<cmdName>.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.

Tip: In Liquibase v4.23.0+, camelCase for defaultSchemaName works successfully. If you are on an earlier version, camelCase may not work as expected.

Note: The syntax liquibase.command.defaultSchemaName is valid for v4.19.0+. For prior versions, use defaultSchemaName.

Optional

liquibase.command.driver: <string>

liquibase.command.<cmdName>.driver: <string>

The JDBC driver class

Optional

liquibase.command.driverPropertiesFile: <string>

liquibase.command.<cmdName>.driverPropertiesFile: <string>

The JDBC driver properties file

Optional

liquibase.command.password: <string>

liquibase.command.<cmdName>.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.<cmdName>.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.<cmdName>.changelogFile=<string>

The root changelog

Required

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

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

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

Required

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

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

Name of the default catalog to use for the database connection

Optional

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

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.<cmdName>.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.

Tip: In Liquibase v4.23.0+, camelCase for defaultSchemaName works successfully. If you are on an earlier version, camelCase may not work as expected.

Note: The syntax liquibase.command.defaultSchemaName is valid for v4.19.0+. For prior versions, use defaultSchemaName.

Optional

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

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

The JDBC driver class

Optional

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

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

The JDBC driver properties file

Optional

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

JAVA_OPTS=-Dliquibase.command.<cmdName>.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.<cmdName>.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_<CMDNAME>_CHANGELOG_FILE=<string>

The root changelog

Required

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_URL=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_<CMDNAME>_URL=<string>

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

Required

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_DEFAULT_CATALOG_NAME=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_<CMDNAME>_DEFAULT_CATALOG_NAME=<string>

Name of the default catalog to use for the database connection

Optional

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_DEFAULT_SCHEMA_NAME=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_<CMDNAME>_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.

Tip: In Liquibase v4.23.0+, camelCase for defaultSchemaName works successfully. If you are on an earlier version, camelCase may not work as expected.

Note: The syntax liquibase.command.defaultSchemaName is valid for v4.19.0+. For prior versions, use defaultSchemaName.

Optional

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_DRIVER=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_<CMDNAME>_DRIVER=<string>

The JDBC driver class

Optional

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_DRIVER_PROPERTIES_FILE=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_<CMDNAME>_DRIVER_PROPERTIES_FILE=<string>

The JDBC driver properties file

Optional

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_PASSWORD=<string>

LIQUIBASE_COMMAND_<CMDNAME>_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_<CMDNAME>_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