How to make a PostgreSQL constraint only apply to a new value - postgresql

Question

I'm new to PostgreSQL and really loving how constraints work with row level security, but I'm confused how to make them do what I want them to.
I have a column and I want add a constraint that creates a minimum length for a text column, this check works for that:
(length((column_name):: text) > 6)
BUT, it also then prevents users updating any rows where column_name is already under 6 characters.
I want to make it so they can't change that value TO that, but can still update a row where that is already happening, so they can change it as needed according to my new policy.
Is this possible?

Answer 1

BUT, it also then prevents users updating any rows where column_name is already under 6 characters.
Well, no. When you try to add that CHECK constraint, all existing rows are checked, and an exception is raised if any violation is found.
You would have to make it NOT VALID. Then yes.
You really need a trigger on INSERT or UPDATE that checks new values. Not as cheap and not as bullet-rpoof, but still pretty solid. Like:
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION trg_col_min_len6()
RETURNS trigger
LANGUAGE plpgsql AS
$func$
BEGIN
IF TG_OP = 'UPDATE'
AND OLD.column_name IS NOT DISTINCT FROM NEW.column_name THEN
-- do nothing
ELSE
RAISE EXCEPTION 'New value for column "note" must have at least 6 characters.';
END IF;
RETURN NEW;
END
$func$;
-- trigger
CREATE TRIGGER tbl1_column_name_min_len6
BEFORE INSERT OR UPDATE ON tbl
FOR EACH ROW
WHEN (length(NEW.column_name) < 7)
EXECUTE FUNCTION trg_col_min_len6();
db<>fiddle here
It should be most efficient to check in a WHEN condition to the trigger directly. Then the trigger function is only ever called for short values and can be super simple.
See:
Trigger with multiple WHEN conditions
Fire trigger on update of columnA or ColumnB or ColumnC

Answer 2

You can create separate triggers for Insert and Update letting each completely define when it should fired. If completely different logic is required for the DML action this technique allows writing dedicated trigger functions. In this case that is not required the trigger function reduces to raise exception .... See Demo
-- Single trigger function for both Insert and Delete
create or replace function trg_col_min_len6()
returns trigger
language plpgsql
as $$
begin
raise exception 'Cannot % val = ''%''. Must have at least 6 characters.'
, tg_op, new.val;
return null;
end;
$$;
-- trigger before insert
create trigger tbl_val_min_len6_bir
before insert
on tbl
for each row
when (length(new.val) < 6)
execute function trg_col_min_len6();
-- trugger before update
create trigger tbl_val_min_len6_bur
before update
on tbl
for each row
when ( length(new.val) < 6
and new.val is distinct from old.val
)
execute function trg_col_min_len6();