---
name: "DO"
section: "7"
platform: "linux"
package: "postgresql"
version: "18.6-4"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/DO"
---

# DO(7)

execute an anonymous code block

## NAME

DO - execute an anonymous code block

## SYNOPSIS

```
DO [ LANGUAGE lang_name ] code
```

## DESCRIPTION

**DO** executes an anonymous code block, or in other words a transient anonymous function in a procedural language.

The code block is treated as though it were the body of a function with no parameters, returning void. It is parsed and executed a single time.

The optional LANGUAGE clause can be written either before or after the code block.

## PARAMETERS

*code*

The procedural language code to be executed. This must be specified as a string literal, just as in **CREATE FUNCTION**. Use of a dollar-quoted literal is recommended.

*lang\_name*

The name of the procedural language the code is written in. If omitted, the default is plpgsql.

## NOTES

The procedural language to be used must already have been installed into the current database by means of **CREATE EXTENSION**. plpgsql is installed by default, but other languages are not.

The user must have USAGE privilege for the procedural language, or must be a superuser if the language is untrusted. This is the same privilege requirement as for creating a function in the language.

If **DO** is executed in a transaction block, then the procedure code cannot execute transaction control statements. Transaction control statements are only allowed if **DO** is executed in its own transaction.

## EXAMPLES

Grant all privileges on all views in schema public to role webuser:

```
DO $$DECLARE r record;
BEGIN
    FOR r IN SELECT table_schema, table_name FROM information_schema.tables
             WHERE table_type = 'VIEW' AND table_schema = 'public'
    LOOP
        EXECUTE 'GRANT ALL ON ' || quote_ident(r.table_schema) || '.' || quote_ident(r.table_name) || ' TO webuser';
    END LOOP;
END$$;
```

## COMPATIBILITY

There is no **DO** statement in the SQL standard.

## SEE ALSO

CREATE LANGUAGE ([**CREATE\_LANGUAGE**(7)](/CREATE_LANGUAGE/7.md))