How to add new Column to Android SQLite Database?

Perhaps a slightly more elegant approach using switch instead of if/then that will upgrade from any schema to the most recent schema...

Here's also a decent page on the syntax for altering a table: http://alvinalexander.com/android/sqlite-alter-table-syntax-examples

public static final String TABLE_TEAM = "team";
public static final String COLUMN_COACH = "coach";
public static final String COLUMN_STADIUM = "stadium";


private static final String DATABASE_ALTER_TEAM_TO_V2 = "ALTER TABLE "
    + TABLE_TEAM + " ADD COLUMN " + COLUMN_COACH + " TEXT;";

private static final String DATABASE_ALTER_TEAM_TO_V3 = "ALTER TABLE "
    + TABLE_TEAM + " ADD COLUMN " + COLUMN_STADIUM + " TEXT;";


@Override
public void onUpgrade(SQLiteDatabase db, int oldVersion, int newVersion) {

    switch (oldVersion)
    {
        case 1:
            //upgrade from version 1 to 2
            db.execSQL(DATABASE_ALTER_TEAM_TO_V2);
        case 2:
            //upgrade from version 2 to 3
            db.execSQL(DATABASE_ALTER_TEAM_TO_V3);

        //and so on.. do not add breaks so that switch will
        //start at oldVersion, and run straight through to the latest

    }

}

you can use ALTER TABLE function on your onUpgrade() method, like this:

@Override
public void onUpgrade(SQLiteDatabase db, int oldVersion, int newVersion) {
  // If you need to add a column
  if (newVersion > oldVersion) {
     db.execSQL("ALTER TABLE foo ADD COLUMN new_column INTEGER DEFAULT 0");
  }
}

Obviously, the SQLite will differ depending on the column definition.

The easiest way to do this is to add some SQL to the onUpgrade() method in your SQLiteOpenHelper class. Something like:

@Override
public void onUpgrade(SQLiteDatabase db, int oldVersion, int newVersion) {

    // If you need to add a new column
    if (newVersion > oldVersion) {
        db.execSQL("ALTER TABLE student ADD COLUMN student_rollno INTEGER DEFAULT 0");
    }
}

I came across this thread when needing help on my own app, but saw issues with many of the answers. I would recommend doing the following:

private static final String DATABASE_ALTER_TEAM_1 = "ALTER TABLE "
    + TABLE_TEAM + " ADD COLUMN " + COLUMN_COACH + " string;";

private static final String DATABASE_ALTER_TEAM_2 = "ALTER TABLE "
    + TABLE_TEAM + " ADD COLUMN " + COLUMN_STADIUM + " string;";

@Override
public void onUpgrade(SQLiteDatabase db, int oldVersion, int newVersion) {
    if (oldVersion < 2) {
         db.execSQL(DATABASE_ALTER_TEAM_1);
    }
    if (oldVersion < 3) {
         db.execSQL(DATABASE_ALTER_TEAM_2);
    }
}

You want to make sure the code will work when users upgrade more than 1 version and that the update statement only runs the one upgrade it is needed. For a bit more on this, check out this blog.