The CREATE TABLE
statement is used in SQL to define a new table and its columns. When creating a table, you must specify the column names, data types, and optionally, constraints like primary keys or default values.
SQL Create Table Syntax
CREATE TABLE table_name ( column1 datatype constraint, column2 datatype constraint, ... );
SQL Create Table Using Another Table
Sometimes, you might want to create a new table based on an existing one, either copying just its structure or both its structure and data.
This query creates a new table with the same structure as an existing one, but without copying any data.
CREATE TABLE new_table AS SELECT * FROM existing_table WHERE 1 = 0;
This query creates a new table and also copies all the data from the existing one. This approach is useful for backups, testing, or creating archive tables.
CREATE TABLE new_table AS SELECT * FROM existing_table;
SQL Create Table Example
This command creates a table named Students
with several useful fields.
CREATE TABLE Drivers ( DriversID INT PRIMARY KEY, FirstName VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL, LastName VARCHAR(50), BirthDate DATE, RegistrationYear INT DEFAULT 2023 );
