SQL CREATE TABLE Syntax – Listed by DBMS

Posted on by Ian

This article contains the SQL CREATE TABLE syntax, as implemented by various database management systems (DBMSs). The syntax is listed exactly as each vendor has listed it on their website. Click on the applicable link to view more detail about the syntax for a particular vendor.

The DBMSs covered are MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and Oracle Database.

MySQL

From the MySQL 5.7 Reference Manual:

CREATE [TEMPORARY] TABLE [IF NOT EXISTS] tbl_name
    (create_definition,...)
    [table_options]
    [partition_options]

CREATE [TEMPORARY] TABLE [IF NOT EXISTS] tbl_name
    [(create_definition,...)]
    [table_options]
    [partition_options]
    [IGNORE | REPLACE]
    [AS] query_expression

CREATE [TEMPORARY] TABLE [IF NOT EXISTS] tbl_name
    { LIKE old_tbl_name | (LIKE old_tbl_name) }

create_definition:
    col_name column_definition
  | [CONSTRAINT [symbol]] PRIMARY KEY [index_type] (index_col_name,...)
      [index_option] ...
  | {INDEX|KEY} [index_name] [index_type] (index_col_name,...)
      [index_option] ...
  | [CONSTRAINT [symbol]] UNIQUE [INDEX|KEY]
      [index_name] [index_type] (index_col_name,...)
      [index_option] ...
  | {FULLTEXT|SPATIAL} [INDEX|KEY] [index_name] (index_col_name,...)
      [index_option] ...
  | [CONSTRAINT [symbol]] FOREIGN KEY
      [index_name] (index_col_name,...) reference_definition
  | CHECK (expr)

column_definition:
    data_type [NOT NULL | NULL] [DEFAULT default_value]
      [AUTO_INCREMENT] [UNIQUE [KEY] | [PRIMARY] KEY]
      [COMMENT 'string']
      [COLUMN_FORMAT {FIXED|DYNAMIC|DEFAULT}]
      [STORAGE {DISK|MEMORY|DEFAULT}]
      [reference_definition]
  | data_type [GENERATED ALWAYS] AS (expression)
      [VIRTUAL | STORED] [UNIQUE [KEY]] [COMMENT comment]
      [NOT NULL | NULL] [[PRIMARY] KEY]

data_type:
    BIT[(length)]
  | TINYINT[(length)] [UNSIGNED] [ZEROFILL]
  | SMALLINT[(length)] [UNSIGNED] [ZEROFILL]
  | MEDIUMINT[(length)] [UNSIGNED] [ZEROFILL]
  | INT[(length)] [UNSIGNED] [ZEROFILL]
  | INTEGER[(length)] [UNSIGNED] [ZEROFILL]
  | BIGINT[(length)] [UNSIGNED] [ZEROFILL]
  | REAL[(length,decimals)] [UNSIGNED] [ZEROFILL]
  | DOUBLE[(length,decimals)] [UNSIGNED] [ZEROFILL]
  | FLOAT[(length,decimals)] [UNSIGNED] [ZEROFILL]
  | DECIMAL[(length[,decimals])] [UNSIGNED] [ZEROFILL]
  | NUMERIC[(length[,decimals])] [UNSIGNED] [ZEROFILL]
  | DATE
  | TIME[(fsp)]
  | TIMESTAMP[(fsp)]
  | DATETIME[(fsp)]
  | YEAR
  | CHAR[(length)] [BINARY]
      [CHARACTER SET charset_name] [COLLATE collation_name]
  | VARCHAR(length) [BINARY]
      [CHARACTER SET charset_name] [COLLATE collation_name]
  | BINARY[(length)]
  | VARBINARY(length)
  | TINYBLOB
  | BLOB
  | MEDIUMBLOB
  | LONGBLOB
  | TINYTEXT [BINARY]
      [CHARACTER SET charset_name] [COLLATE collation_name]
  | TEXT [BINARY]
      [CHARACTER SET charset_name] [COLLATE collation_name]
  | MEDIUMTEXT [BINARY]
      [CHARACTER SET charset_name] [COLLATE collation_name]
  | LONGTEXT [BINARY]
      [CHARACTER SET charset_name] [COLLATE collation_name]
  | ENUM(value1,value2,value3,...)
      [CHARACTER SET charset_name] [COLLATE collation_name]
  | SET(value1,value2,value3,...)
      [CHARACTER SET charset_name] [COLLATE collation_name]
  | JSON
  | spatial_type

index_col_name:
    col_name [(length)] [ASC | DESC]

index_type:
    USING {BTREE | HASH}

index_option:
    KEY_BLOCK_SIZE [=] value
  | index_type
  | WITH PARSER parser_name
  | COMMENT 'string'

reference_definition:
    REFERENCES tbl_name (index_col_name,...)
      [MATCH FULL | MATCH PARTIAL | MATCH SIMPLE]
      [ON DELETE reference_option]
      [ON UPDATE reference_option]

reference_option:
    RESTRICT | CASCADE | SET NULL | NO ACTION

table_options:
    table_option [[,] table_option] ...

table_option:
    ENGINE [=] engine_name
  | AUTO_INCREMENT [=] value
  | AVG_ROW_LENGTH [=] value
  | [DEFAULT] CHARACTER SET [=] charset_name
  | CHECKSUM [=] {0 | 1}
  | [DEFAULT] COLLATE [=] collation_name
  | COMMENT [=] 'string'
  | COMPRESSION [=] {'ZLIB'|'LZ4'|'NONE'}
  | CONNECTION [=] 'connect_string'
  | DATA DIRECTORY [=] 'absolute path to directory'
  | DELAY_KEY_WRITE [=] {0 | 1}
  | ENCRYPTION [=] {'Y' | 'N'}
  | INDEX DIRECTORY [=] 'absolute path to directory'
  | INSERT_METHOD [=] { NO | FIRST | LAST }
  | KEY_BLOCK_SIZE [=] value
  | MAX_ROWS [=] value
  | MIN_ROWS [=] value
  | PACK_KEYS [=] {0 | 1 | DEFAULT}
  | PASSWORD [=] 'string'
  | ROW_FORMAT [=] {DEFAULT|DYNAMIC|FIXED|COMPRESSED|REDUNDANT|COMPACT}
  | STATS_AUTO_RECALC [=] {DEFAULT|0|1}
  | STATS_PERSISTENT [=] {DEFAULT|0|1}
  | STATS_SAMPLE_PAGES [=] value
  | TABLESPACE tablespace_name
  | UNION [=] (tbl_name[,tbl_name]...)

partition_options:
    PARTITION BY
        { [LINEAR] HASH(expr)
        | [LINEAR] KEY [ALGORITHM={1|2}] (column_list)
        | RANGE{(expr) | COLUMNS(column_list)}
        | LIST{(expr) | COLUMNS(column_list)} }
    [PARTITIONS num]
    [SUBPARTITION BY
        { [LINEAR] HASH(expr)
        | [LINEAR] KEY [ALGORITHM={1|2}] (column_list) }
      [SUBPARTITIONS num]
    ]
    [(partition_definition [, partition_definition] ...)]

partition_definition:
    PARTITION partition_name
        [VALUES 
            {LESS THAN {(expr | value_list) | MAXVALUE} 
            | 
            IN (value_list)}]
        [[STORAGE] ENGINE [=] engine_name]
        [COMMENT [=] 'comment_text' ]
        [DATA DIRECTORY [=] 'data_dir']
        [INDEX DIRECTORY [=] 'index_dir']
        [MAX_ROWS [=] max_number_of_rows]
        [MIN_ROWS [=] min_number_of_rows]
        [TABLESPACE [=] tablespace_name] 
        [(subpartition_definition [, subpartition_definition] ...)]

subpartition_definition:
    SUBPARTITION logical_name
        [[STORAGE] ENGINE [=] engine_name]
        [COMMENT [=] 'comment_text' ]
        [DATA DIRECTORY [=] 'data_dir']
        [INDEX DIRECTORY [=] 'index_dir']
        [MAX_ROWS [=] max_number_of_rows]
        [MIN_ROWS [=] min_number_of_rows]
        [TABLESPACE [=] tablespace_name] 

query_expression:
    SELECT ...   (Some valid select or union statement)

 

SQL Server

From the Transact-SQL Reference:

CREATE TABLE 
    [ database_name . [ schema_name ] . | schema_name . ] table_name 
    [ AS FileTable ]
    ( { <column_definition> | <computed_column_definition> 
        | <column_set_definition> | [ <table_constraint> ] [ ,...n ] } )
    [ ON { partition_scheme_name ( partition_column_name ) | filegroup 
        | "default" } ] 
    [ { TEXTIMAGE_ON { filegroup | "default" } ] 
    [ FILESTREAM_ON { partition_scheme_name | filegroup 
        | "default" } ]
    [ WITH ( <table_option> [ ,...n ] ) ]
[ ; ]

<column_definition> ::= 
column_name <data_type>
    [ FILESTREAM ]
    [ COLLATE collation_name ] 
    [ SPARSE ]
    [ NULL | NOT NULL ]
    [ 
        [ CONSTRAINT constraint_name ] DEFAULT constant_expression ] 
      | [ IDENTITY [ ( seed ,increment ) ] [ NOT FOR REPLICATION ] 
    ]
    [ ROWGUIDCOL ] 
    [ <column_constraint> [ ...n ] ] 

<data type> ::= 
[ type_schema_name . ] type_name 
    [ ( precision [ , scale ] | max | 
        [ { CONTENT | DOCUMENT } ] xml_schema_collection ) ] 

<column_constraint> ::= 
[ CONSTRAINT constraint_name ] 
{     { PRIMARY KEY | UNIQUE } 
        [ CLUSTERED | NONCLUSTERED ] 
        [ 
            WITH FILLFACTOR = fillfactor  
          | WITH ( < index_option > [ , ...n ] ) 
        ] 
        [ ON { partition_scheme_name ( partition_column_name ) 
            | filegroup | "default" } ]

  | [ FOREIGN KEY ] 
        REFERENCES [ schema_name . ] referenced_table_name [ ( ref_column ) ] 
        [ ON DELETE { NO ACTION | CASCADE | SET NULL | SET DEFAULT } ] 
        [ ON UPDATE { NO ACTION | CASCADE | SET NULL | SET DEFAULT } ] 
        [ NOT FOR REPLICATION ] 

  | CHECK [ NOT FOR REPLICATION ] ( logical_expression ) 
} 

<computed_column_definition> ::= 
column_name AS computed_column_expression 
[ PERSISTED [ NOT NULL ] ]
[ 
    [ CONSTRAINT constraint_name ]
    { PRIMARY KEY | UNIQUE }
        [ CLUSTERED | NONCLUSTERED ]
        [ 
            WITH FILLFACTOR = fillfactor 
          | WITH ( <index_option> [ , ...n ] )
        ]
        [ ON { partition_scheme_name ( partition_column_name ) 
        | filegroup | "default" } ]

    | [ FOREIGN KEY ] 
        REFERENCES referenced_table_name [ ( ref_column ) ] 
        [ ON DELETE { NO ACTION | CASCADE } ] 
        [ ON UPDATE { NO ACTION } ] 
        [ NOT FOR REPLICATION ] 

    | CHECK [ NOT FOR REPLICATION ] ( logical_expression ) 
] 

<column_set_definition> ::= 
column_set_name XML COLUMN_SET FOR ALL_SPARSE_COLUMNS

< table_constraint > ::=
[ CONSTRAINT constraint_name ] 
{ 
    { PRIMARY KEY | UNIQUE } 
        [ CLUSTERED | NONCLUSTERED ] 
        (column [ ASC | DESC ] [ ,...n ] ) 
        [ 
            WITH FILLFACTOR = fillfactor 
           |WITH ( <index_option> [ , ...n ] ) 
        ]
        [ ON { partition_scheme_name (partition_column_name)
            | filegroup | "default" } ] 
    | FOREIGN KEY 
        ( column [ ,...n ] ) 
        REFERENCES referenced_table_name [ ( ref_column [ ,...n ] ) ] 
        [ ON DELETE { NO ACTION | CASCADE | SET NULL | SET DEFAULT } ] 
        [ ON UPDATE { NO ACTION | CASCADE | SET NULL | SET DEFAULT } ] 
        [ NOT FOR REPLICATION ] 
    | CHECK [ NOT FOR REPLICATION ] ( logical_expression ) 
} 
<table_option> ::=
{
    [DATA_COMPRESSION = { NONE | ROW | PAGE }
      [ ON PARTITIONS ( { <partition_number_expression> | <range> } 
      [ , ...n ] ) ]]
    [ FILETABLE_DIRECTORY = <directory_name> ] 
    [ FILETABLE_COLLATE_FILENAME = { <collation_name> | database_default } ]
    [ FILETABLE_PRIMARY_KEY_CONSTRAINT_NAME = <constraint_name> ]
    [ FILETABLE_STREAMID_UNIQUE_CONSTRAINT_NAME = <constraint_name> ]
    [ FILETABLE_FULLPATH_UNIQUE_CONSTRAINT_NAME = <constraint_name> ]
}

<index_option> ::=
{ 
    PAD_INDEX = { ON | OFF } 
  | FILLFACTOR = fillfactor 
  | IGNORE_DUP_KEY = { ON | OFF } 
  | STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = { ON | OFF } 
  | ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS = { ON | OFF} 
  | ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS ={ ON | OFF} 
  | DATA_COMPRESSION = { NONE | ROW | PAGE }
       [ ON PARTITIONS ( { <partition_number_expression> | <range> } 
       [ , ...n ] ) ]
}
<range> ::= 
<partition_number_expression> TO <partition_number_expression>

PostgreSQL

From the PostgreSQL 9.5 Manual:

CREATE [ [ GLOBAL | LOCAL ] { TEMPORARY | TEMP } | UNLOGGED ] TABLE [ IF NOT EXISTS ] table_name ( [
  { column_name data_type [ COLLATE collation ] [ column_constraint [ ... ] ]
    | table_constraint
    | LIKE source_table [ like_option ... ] }
    [, ... ]
] )
[ INHERITS ( parent_table [, ... ] ) ]
[ WITH ( storage_parameter [= value] [, ... ] ) | WITH OIDS | WITHOUT OIDS ]
[ ON COMMIT { PRESERVE ROWS | DELETE ROWS | DROP } ]
[ TABLESPACE tablespace_name ]

CREATE [ [ GLOBAL | LOCAL ] { TEMPORARY | TEMP } | UNLOGGED ] TABLE [ IF NOT EXISTS ] table_name
    OF type_name [ (
  { column_name WITH OPTIONS [ column_constraint [ ... ] ]
    | table_constraint }
    [, ... ]
) ]
[ WITH ( storage_parameter [= value] [, ... ] ) | WITH OIDS | WITHOUT OIDS ]
[ ON COMMIT { PRESERVE ROWS | DELETE ROWS | DROP } ]
[ TABLESPACE tablespace_name ]

where column_constraint is:

[ CONSTRAINT constraint_name ]
{ NOT NULL |
  NULL |
  CHECK ( expression ) [ NO INHERIT ] |
  DEFAULT default_expr |
  UNIQUE index_parameters |
  PRIMARY KEY index_parameters |
  REFERENCES reftable [ ( refcolumn ) ] [ MATCH FULL | MATCH PARTIAL | MATCH SIMPLE ]
    [ ON DELETE action ] [ ON UPDATE action ] }
[ DEFERRABLE | NOT DEFERRABLE ] [ INITIALLY DEFERRED | INITIALLY IMMEDIATE ]

and table_constraint is:

[ CONSTRAINT constraint_name ]
{ CHECK ( expression ) [ NO INHERIT ] |
  UNIQUE ( column_name [, ... ] ) index_parameters |
  PRIMARY KEY ( column_name [, ... ] ) index_parameters |
  EXCLUDE [ USING index_method ] ( exclude_element WITH operator [, ... ] ) index_parameters [ WHERE ( predicate ) ] |
  FOREIGN KEY ( column_name [, ... ] ) REFERENCES reftable [ ( refcolumn [, ... ] ) ]
    [ MATCH FULL | MATCH PARTIAL | MATCH SIMPLE ] [ ON DELETE action ] [ ON UPDATE action ] }
[ DEFERRABLE | NOT DEFERRABLE ] [ INITIALLY DEFERRED | INITIALLY IMMEDIATE ]

and like_option is:

{ INCLUDING | EXCLUDING } { DEFAULTS | CONSTRAINTS | INDEXES | STORAGE | COMMENTS | ALL }

index_parameters in UNIQUE, PRIMARY KEY, and EXCLUDE constraints are:

[ WITH ( storage_parameter [= value] [, ... ] ) ]
[ USING INDEX TABLESPACE tablespace_name ]

exclude_element in an EXCLUDE constraint is:

{ column_name | ( expression ) } [ opclass ] [ ASC | DESC ] [ NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ]

Oracle Database

From the Oracle Database Online Documentation 12c Release 1 (12.1):

CREATE [ GLOBAL TEMPORARY ] TABLE [ schema. ] table
  { relational_table | object_table | XMLType_table } ;

The following provides detail on each of the three options.

relational_table

[ (relational_properties) ]
[ ON COMMIT { DELETE | PRESERVE } ROWS ]
[ physical_properties ]
[ table_properties ]

object_table

OF
   [ schema. ] object_type
   [ object_table_substitution ]
   [ (object_properties) ]
   [ ON COMMIT { DELETE | PRESERVE } ROWS ]
   [ OID_clause ]
   [ OID_index_clause ]
   [ physical_properties ]
   [ table_properties ]

XMLType_table

OF XMLTYPE
  [ (oject_properties) ]
  [ XMLTYPE XMLType_storage ]
  [ XMLSchema_spec ]
  [ XMLType_virtual_columns ]
  [ ON COMMIT { DELETE | PRESERVE } ROWS ]
  [ OID_clause ]
  [ OID_index_clause ]
  [ physical_properties ]
  [ table_properties ]

See Oracle’s official documentation for detail of the further options available to each of these.

Using the GUI

Creating tables can also be done via the GUI in each of the database management systems, or by using any of the GUI tools available for use with that product.

For example, you can create a table via the GUI when working with MySQL Workbench.