lastval() — PostgreSQL sequence function

lastval(): current value from last used sequence. PostgreSQL sequence functions — signature, volatility, version applicability and an illustrative example.

The Sev-1 Admin
The Sev-1 Admin  ·  1 min read

Summary

lastval is a PostgreSQL built-in function in the Sequence Functions group. PostgreSQL’s system catalog (pg_proc) describes it as: “current value from last used sequence”.

Signature

lastval() → bigint

Argument and return types are taken from the pg_proc catalog; internal type names are shown using their readable SQL spellings (for example int4 is shown as integer). (Derived from the catalog — see the linked reference for the canonical documentation.)

Classification

  • Category: Sequence Functions
  • Kind: Function
  • Volatility: VOLATILE — Marked VOLATILE — its result can change even within a single statement (for example, it may depend on time, sequences or the current session).
  • Returns: bigint

Example

Illustrative form (replace placeholder values with your own data):

SELECT lastval();

The example above is illustrative and is meant to show calling syntax only; consult the linked PostgreSQL documentation for exact semantics, edge cases and accepted argument combinations.

Version applicability

lastval is present across the surveyed releases (PostgreSQL 15, 16, 17, 18, 19). On older major versions, behaviour may differ in detail — always check the documentation for the version you run.

Related & references

Reference: PostgreSQL documentation — Sequence Functions.