Goal This query identifies SQL routines that utilize explicit row locking clauses (e.g., FOR UPDATE, FOR SHARE) in queries that do not target a specific base table or relation. For instance, a statement like SELECT 'text' AS v FOR UPDATE attempts to apply a lock to a scalar constant. Since row-level locks in PostgreSQL require a physical row version (tuple) within a table to be effective, such statements are semantically void. They indicate a fundamental misunderstanding of the concurrency control mechanism and should be corrected to target actual table rows.
Type Problem detection Each row in the result could represent a flaw in the design
Reliability Medium Medium number of false-positive results
License MIT (opens in new tab)
Fixing Suggestion Drop the routine and recreate it.
Data Source INFORMATION_SCHEMA+system catalog
SQL Query 
SELECT 
  pg_namespace.nspname AS routine_schema, 
  pg_proc.proname AS routine_name, 
  pg_get_function_identity_arguments(pg_proc.oid) AS parameters,
  CASE WHEN pg_proc.prokind='f' THEN 'FUNCTION'
  WHEN pg_proc.prokind='p' THEN 'PROCEDURE'
  WHEN pg_proc.prokind='w' THEN 'WINDOW FUNCTION' END AS routine_type,
  regexp_replace( regexp_replace(pg_get_functiondef(pg_proc.oid),'<','&lt','g'),'[\r\n]','<br>','g')  AS routine_src
FROM 
  pg_catalog.pg_proc, 
  pg_catalog.pg_namespace
WHERE 
  pg_proc.pronamespace = pg_namespace.oid
  AND pg_proc.prokind<>'a'
 AND pg_proc.proname NOT IN ('f_assume_you_must_use_files', 'f_check_format_comma_separated_list', 'f_check_password', 'f_default_value_with_no_match') 
 AND pg_namespace.nspname NOT IN (SELECT schema_name
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.schemata
WHERE schema_name<>'public' AND
schema_owner='postgres' AND schema_name IS NOT NULL) 
AND pg_get_functiondef(pg_proc.oid)~*'[[:space:]]select[[:space:]][^;]*(?<![[:space:]]from[[:space:]][^;]*)for[[:space:]]+(update|no[[:space:]]+key[[:space:]]+update|share|key[[:space:]]+share)[[:space:]]*[;]'
ORDER BY routine_schema, routine_name, parameters;

SQL statements that help generate fixes for the identified problem.

Fix Action #1
WITH unnecessary_for_update AS (SELECT 
  pg_namespace.nspname AS routine_schema, 
  pg_proc.proname AS routine_name, 
  pg_get_function_identity_arguments(pg_proc.oid) AS parameters
FROM 
  pg_catalog.pg_proc, 
  pg_catalog.pg_namespace
WHERE 
  pg_proc.pronamespace = pg_namespace.oid
  AND pg_proc.prokind<>'a'
 AND pg_proc.proname NOT IN ('f_assume_you_must_use_files', 'f_check_format_comma_separated_list', 'f_check_password', 'f_default_value_with_no_match') 
 AND pg_namespace.nspname NOT IN (SELECT schema_name
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.schemata
WHERE schema_name<>'public' AND
schema_owner='postgres' AND schema_name IS NOT NULL) 
AND pg_get_functiondef(pg_proc.oid)~*'[[:space:]]select[[:space:]][^;]*(?<![[:space:]]from[[:space:]][^;]*)for[[:space:]]+(update|no[[:space:]]+key[[:space:]]+update|share|key[[:space:]]+share)[[:space:]]*[;]')
SELECT format('DROP ROUTINE %1$s.%2$s(%3$s);', routine_schema, routine_name, parameters) AS statements
FROM unnecessary_for_update
ORDER BY routine_schema, routine_name, parameters;

Drop the routine.

SQL Query to Generate FixDescription
WITH unnecessary_for_update AS (SELECT 
  pg_namespace.nspname AS routine_schema, 
  pg_proc.proname AS routine_name, 
  pg_get_function_identity_arguments(pg_proc.oid) AS parameters
FROM 
  pg_catalog.pg_proc, 
  pg_catalog.pg_namespace
WHERE 
  pg_proc.pronamespace = pg_namespace.oid
  AND pg_proc.prokind<>'a'
 AND pg_proc.proname NOT IN ('f_assume_you_must_use_files', 'f_check_format_comma_separated_list', 'f_check_password', 'f_default_value_with_no_match') 
 AND pg_namespace.nspname NOT IN (SELECT schema_name
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.schemata
WHERE schema_name<>'public' AND
schema_owner='postgres' AND schema_name IS NOT NULL) 
AND pg_get_functiondef(pg_proc.oid)~*'[[:space:]]select[[:space:]][^;]*(?<![[:space:]]from[[:space:]][^;]*)for[[:space:]]+(update|no[[:space:]]+key[[:space:]]+update|share|key[[:space:]]+share)[[:space:]]*[;]')
SELECT format('DROP ROUTINE %1$s.%2$s(%3$s);', routine_schema, routine_name, parameters) AS statements
FROM unnecessary_for_update
ORDER BY routine_schema, routine_name, parameters;
Drop the routine.

Collections

This query belongs to the following collections:

Find problems automatically

Queries, that results point to problems in the database. Each query in the collection produces an initial assessment. However, a human reviewer has the final say as to whether there is a problem or not .

NameDescription
Find problems automaticallyQueries, that results point to problems in the database. Each query in the collection produces an initial assessment. However, a human reviewer has the final say as to whether there is a problem or not .

Categories

This query is classified under the following categories:

Concurrency control

Queries of this category provide information about concurrency control.

Does not work in some earlier PostgreSQL version

Queries of this category provide information that was not available in some earlier PostgreSQL version

User-defined routines

Queries of this category provide information about the user-defined routines

NameDescription
Concurrency controlQueries of this category provide information about concurrency control.
Does not work in some earlier PostgreSQL versionQueries of this category provide information that was not available in some earlier PostgreSQL version
User-defined routinesQueries of this category provide information about the user-defined routines