When you're upgrading schema - your main concern should be not to screw up. Not to make it easier. If we're talking about a serious product. If you're upgrading a schema and you're **forgot** that, when dropping column bar of foo table, said column is used elsewhere - **this is your problem**! And if SQLite emits an error - you should be thankful. Handling such conflicts (indices triggers) is your responsibility. SQLite will never be able to automatically make it work for **every** possible case.