indexDifferentTablespace

Last updated: September 2, 2025

indexDifferentTablespace is a custom policy check that ensures an index is created in a different tablespace than table.

Limitations: A Table must exist, if table is created in a prior changeset and it does not check for schema included in names such as schema.table.

Learn how to create and customize the indexDifferentTablespace Liquibase Custom Policy Check using a Python script.

This example works for Oracle. You can use this check as it is or customize it further to fit your needs in your SQL database.

For a conceptual overview of this feature, see Liquibase Pro Custom Policy Checks.

Before you begin

*Last updated: July 21, 2025*

Scope

Database

database

Oracle

  • Liquibase Pro 4.29.0+

  • Configure a valid Liquibase Pro license key

  • Python 3.10.14+. See here for the official Python tutorial

  • Create a Check Settings file

  • Java Development Kit 17+ (available for Open JDK and Oracle JDK)

  • Linux, macOS, or Windows operating system

  • Ensure the Liquibase Checks extension is installed.

    • In Liquibase 4.31.0+, it is already installed in the /liquibase/internal/lib directory, so no action is needed.

    • If the checks JAR is not installed, download liquibase-checks-<version>.jar and put it in the liquibase/lib directory.

    • Or, if you use Maven, add this dependency to your pom.xml file: <dependency> <groupId>org.liquibase.ext</groupId> <artifactId>liquibase-checks</artifactId> <version>2.0.0</version> </dependency>

Tip: Downloading Python itself is not required to create custom checks in the Liquibase checks framework, but it may be useful to test checks against Python 3.10.14+.

Procedure

These steps describe how to create the Custom Policy Check. It does not exist by default in Liquibase Pro.

1

Add this code to your Checks Settings file:

indexDifferentTablespace Quotes Python Script
# # #
# # # This script ensures an index is created
# # # in a different tablespace than table
# # # Limitations:
    # # # Table must exist,
    if table is created in a prior changeset TBD
# # # Does not check
for schema included in names i.e.schema.table

# # #
# # # Script helper comes from Liquibase
# # #
import liquibase_utilities
import sys
import sqlparse

# # #
# # # Functions
# # #

# # # Check sql statement
for the tablename to create the index on
def get_tablename(sql_tokens):
    for idx, sql_token in enumerate(sql_tokens):
    if sql_token == "on":
    return sql_tokens[idx + 1]

# # # Check
if a table exists in the database
# # # Requires a snapshot to be taken as part of the check
def table_exists(table_name):
    table = None
liquibase_logger.info("Table name " + table_name)
tables = liquibase_snapshot['snapshot']['objects']['liquibase.structure.core.Table']
for t in tables:
    if table_name.upper() == t['table']['name']:
    table = t
break
return table

# # # This
function assumes table exists in snapshot

def get_tablespace_for_table_from_snapshot(table_name):
    tablespace = "DEFAULT"
tables = liquibase_snapshot['snapshot']['objects']['liquibase.structure.core.Table']
for table in tables:
    if table_name.upper() == table['table']['name']:
    tablespace = table['table']['tablespace']
break
return tablespace

# # # This
function gets the index name from the sql tokens
def get_indexname_from_sql(sql_tokens):
    for idx_idx, indexname in enumerate(sql_tokens):
    if "index" == indexname:
    return sql_tokens[idx_idx + 1]
# # #
# # # main
# # #

# # #
# # # Retrieve log handler
# # # Ex.liquibase_logger.info(message)
# # #
liquibase_logger = liquibase_utilities.get_logger()

# # #
# # # Retrieve status handler
# # #
liquibase_status = liquibase_utilities.get_status()

# # #
# # # Retrieve JSON snapshot
# # #
liquibase_snapshot = liquibase_utilities.get_snapshot()

# # #
# # # Retrieve all changes in changeset
# # #
changes = liquibase_utilities.get_changeset().getChanges()

# # #
# # # Loop through all changes
# # #
for change in changes:
    # # #
# # # LoadData change types are not currently supported
# # #
if "loaddatachange" in change.getClass().getSimpleName().lower():
    liquibase_logger.info("LoadData change type not supported. Statement skipped.")
continue
# # #
# # # Retrieve sql as string, remove extra whitespace
# # #
raw_sql = liquibase_utilities.strip_comments(liquibase_utilities.generate_sql(change)).casefold()
raw_sql = " ".join(raw_sql.split())
# print(f "{raw_sql}")
# # #
# # # Split sql into statements
# # #
raw_statements = liquibase_utilities.split_statements(raw_sql)
for raw_statement in raw_statements:
    # Get list of sql tokens
tokens = raw_statement.split()
# print(f "T0: {tokens[0]}")
# print(f "T1: {tokens[1]}")
if tokens[0] == "create":
    # this could be a create index or create unique index statement tokens
# print(f "TOKEN1: {tokens[1]}")
# print(f "TOKEN2: {tokens[2]}")
if tokens[1] == "index"
or tokens[2] == "index":
    # Look
for table name
table_name = get_tablename(tokens)
# Look
for tablespace in snapshot
s_tablespace = get_tablespace_for_table_from_snapshot(table_name)
# Look
for index name in sql statement
index_name = get_indexname_from_sql(tokens)
# Look
for tablespace in sql_statement
found_tablespace = raw_statement.rfind("tablespace")
# print(f "TB: {found_tablespace}")
#If no tablespace found then it will
default to same tablespace so error
if found_tablespace == -1:
    liquibase_status.fired = True
status_message = str(liquibase_utilities.get_script_message()).replace("__INDEX_NAME__", f "\"{index_name}\"")
status_message = status_message.replace("__TABLE_NAME__", f "{table_name}")
status_message = status_message.replace("__TABLE_SPACE__", f "{s_tablespace}")
liquibase_status.message = status_message
sys.exit(1)
# If defined tablespace, it must not be same as table
else:
    #Found a tablespace token in sql statement
for tkidx, tk in enumerate(tokens):
    if tk == "tablespace":
    # Tablespace name is the next token so use it
tbspace = tokens[tkidx + 1]
#If endswith semicolon, remove it
if tbspace.endswith(';'):
    tbspace = tbspace.rstrip(';')
#If quotes around tablespace remove them
if tbspace.startswith('"') and tbspace.endswith('"'):
    tbspace = tbspace[1: -1]
# Now check to see
if the tablespaces are equal
#
if the tablespaces are equal then that 's a no-no
# print(f "DB tbs: {s_tablespace} SQL tbs: {tbspace}")
if tbspace.lower() == s_tablespace.lower():
    liquibase_status.fired = True
status_message = str(liquibase_utilities.get_script_message()).replace("__INDEX_NAME__", f "\"{index_name}\"")
status_message = status_message.replace("__TABLE_NAME__", f "{table_name}")
status_message = status_message.replace("__TABLE_SPACE__", f "{s_tablespace}")
liquibase_status.message = status_message
sys.exit(1)
# # #
# # # Default
return code
# # #
False
2

Initiate the customization process

In the CLI, run this command:

liquibase checks customize --check-name=CustomCheckTemplate

The CLI prompts you to finish configuring your file. A message displays:

This check cannot be customized directly because one or more fields does not have a default value.

Liquibase will then create a copy of CustomCheckTemplate and initiate the customization workflow.

3

Give your check a short name so you can easily identify what Python script it is associated with

Use up to 64 alpha-numeric characters only.

In this example we will name the check:

indexDifferentTablespace

4

Set the Severity to return a code of 0-4 when triggered.

These severity codes allow you to determine if the job moves forward or stops when this check triggers. Learn more here: Use Policy Checks in Automation: Severity and Exit Code options: 'INFO'=0, 'MINOR'=1, 'MAJOR'=2, 'CRITICAL'=3, 'BLOCKER'=4

5

Set the SCRIPT_DESCRIPTION

In this example, we will set the description to:

This script checks to see if an index appears in a different tablespace from the original table specified.

6

Set the SCRIPT_SCOPE

In this example, we will set the scope to:

  • database: If your check looks for the presence of keys, indexes, or table name patterns in your database schema including Liquibase Tracking Tables. With this value, the check runs once for each database object.

7

Set the SCRIPT_MESSAGE

This message will display when the check is triggered. In this example we will use:

In this example we will use:
Index __INDEX_NAME__ must be in a different tablespace than __TABLE_NAME__ tablespace __TABLE_SPACE__
8

Set the SCRIPT_PATH

This is the relative path where your script is stored in relation to the changelog specified in --changelog-file, whether it is stored locally or in a repository.

In this example, we will set the path to:

scripts/index-different-tablespace.py

9

This check does not require a SCRIPT_ARGUMENT, so leave this blank.

10

Set the REQUIRES_SNAPSHOT

If your script scope is changelog, set whether the check requires a database snapshot. Specify true if your check needs to inspect database objects.

If your script scope is database, Liquibase always takes a snapshot, so this prompt does not appear.

Note: The larger your database, the more performance impact a snapshot causes. If you cannot run a snapshot due to memory limitations, see Memory Limits of Inspecting Large Schemas.