before the change CREATE TABLE the_table (was_char CHAR); CREATE VIEW table_read_api AS SELECT was_char FROM the_table; a client consumes data via: select w

before the change CREATE TABLE the_table (was_char CHAR); CREATE VIEW table_read_api AS SELECT was_char FROM the_table; a client consumes data via: select was_char from table_read_api; after the change alter table the_table modify was_char int; alter table the_table rename column was_char to now_int; CREATE VIEW table_read_api AS SELECT TO_CHAR(now_int) as was_char FROM the_table; the client uses the same query select was_char from table_read_api; the type of the column has not changed it is still a char only "internal implementation" is changed