PostgreSQL 7.4.3 Documentation
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# SET CONSTRAINTS

## Name

SET CONSTRAINTS -- set the constraint mode of the current transaction

## Synopsis

    SET CONSTRAINTS { ALL | name [, ...] } { DEFERRED | IMMEDIATE }

## Description

`SET CONSTRAINTS` sets the behavior of constraint evaluation in the current transaction. In `IMMEDIATE` mode, constraints are checked at the end of each statement. In `DEFERRED` mode, constraints are not checked until transaction commit.

When you change the mode of a constraint to be `IMMEDIATE`, the new constraint mode takes effect retroactively: any outstanding data modifications that would have been checked at the end of the transaction (when using `DEFERRED`) are instead checked during the execution of the `SET CONSTRAINTS` command.

Upon creation, a constraint is always give one of three characteristics: `INITIALLY DEFERRED`, `INITIALLY IMMEDIATE DEFERRABLE`, or `INITIALLY IMMEDIATE NOT DEFERRABLE`. The third class is not affected by the `SET CONSTRAINTS` command.

Currently, only foreign key constraints are affected by this setting. Check and unique constraints are always effectively initially immediate not deferrable.

## Notes

This command only alters the behavior of constraints within the current transaction. Thus, if you execute this command outside of a transaction block (`BEGIN`/`COMMIT` pair), it will not appear to have any effect. If you wish to change the behavior of a constraint without needing to issue a `SET CONSTRAINTS` command in every transaction, specify `INITIALLY DEFERRED` or `INITIALLY IMMEDIATE` when you create the constraint.

## Compatibility

This command complies with the behavior defined in the SQL standard, except for the limitation that, in PostgreSQL, it only applies to foreign-key constraints.

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