# Changing the eXtremeSQL Database Schema

> As mentioned in the SQL DDL page, the SQL `ALTER TABLE` statement can be used to change a table format. But in order to access a table that has been modified in this way from an application using a non-SQL API, the database dictionary (the binary form of the schema) containing the table redefinition must be saved and reprocessed or reloaded so that the non-SQL application interfaces correctly with the new table format.

> Please refer to the Changing the Database Schema page for instructions on using the xSQL, C, C++, Java, C# and Python APIs to save the database dictionary in a text schema file.