# How to Create PostgreSQL Tables With psql and pgAdmin

> In PostgreSQL, a table is used to organize the complex, detailed, and unordered data. A table can be created using the "CREATE TABLE" statement.

Tables in any database, including **PostgreSQL** , are used to organize or summarize complex, detailed, and unordered data. To create a table in **PostgreSQL** , the first step is [creating a database](<https://commandprompt.com/how-to-create-a-database-in-postgresql>) and [selecting](<https://commandprompt.com/education/how-to-selectaccess-a-database-in-postgresql/>) the desired one. Once a database is created, you can create a table of your choice and perform multiple operations on that table like insertion, deletion, searching, and updating. A table in **PostgreSQL** stores the data in a structured way, i.e. in the form of rows and columns.

In this write-up, you will learn how to create a table in PostgreSQL using pgAdmin, and SQL SHELL(psql).

##  **How to Create a Table Using SQL SHELL(psql)**

You can execute/run the **“CREATE TABLE”** command from the **SQL SHELL** for creating a table in **PostgreSQL**. Here is the basic syntax for table creation using psql:
    
    
    CREATE TABLE table_name(
    first_column data_type,
    second_column data_type,
    third_column data_type,
    .....
    nth_column data_type
    );

Here,

  *  **“CREATE TABLE”** is a statement that creates a table.
  * table_name is a user-defined table’s name.
  * first_column, second_column, and nth_column are the names of the columns.
  * data_type represents the column type; it can be any type like int, String, char, etc.



>  **Note:** The table name must be unique and table columns must be separated using a comma.

###  **What are the Parameters of the CREATE TABLE Command?**

The **CREATE TABLE** statement can accept some parameters to perform different functionalities. The table below will illustrate some of the most commonly used parameters of the **“CREATE TABLE”** statement:

  *  **If not exists:** It shows a notice/warning instead of throwing an error.
  *  **Temp/Temporary:** It generates a temporary table.
  *  **Unlogged:** It is used to create an unlogged table. It doesn’t specify the data in the write-ahead log.



Let's go through the below-listed examples to create a table in **PostgreSQL** using **SQL SHELL (psql).**

###  **Example 1: Create a New Table**

Let’s execute the “\l” command to check the list of available databases:
    
    
    \l

 **Step 2: Select Database**

You can select the database by executing the **" \c"** command:
    
    
    \c example

The command mentioned above will select the requested database, i.e., **“example”** :

 **Step 3: Create Table**
    
    
    CREATE TABLE staff_details(
    id int PRIMARY KEY, 
    name VARCHAR(40),
    designation VARCHAR(50),

In the above-given table:

  *  **CREATE TABLE** is a predefined command to create a new table.
  * staff_details is a user-defined table name.
  * id, name, and designation are user-defined column names.
  * int is a data type.
  *  **PRIMARY KEY** is a predefined reserved keyword that makes a column a unique identifier.
  *  **VARCHAR** is a character data type that stores limited characters.



Let’s execute this statement in SQL SHELL(psql):

 **Step 4: List of Tables**

Let’s verify whether the table has been created or not. To do that, type the **“\d”** command:
    
    
    \d

The above snippet verified that a table named **“staff_details”** had been created successfully.

 **Step 5: Describe the Created Table**

Type the **“\d”** command followed by the table name to describe the details of a specific table:
    
    
    \d staff_details;

###  **Example 2: Create a Duplicate Table and Fix the “Relation Already Exists” Error**

Let’s recreate an existing table:
    
    
    CREATE TABLE staff_details(
    id int PRIMARY KEY, 
    name VARCHAR(40),
    designation VARCHAR(40),

An error occurs stating that the “table/relation already exists”:

We can specify/use the **" IF NOT EXISTS"** parameter to fix the stated error:
    
    
    CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS staff_details(
    id int PRIMARY KEY, 
    name VARCHAR(40),
    designation VARCHAR(40),

The above snippet verified that this time a notice/warning occurred instead of an error.

###  **Example 3: Create a TEMP Table**

The CREATE TABLE statement can be executed with the “TEMP” clause to create a table for the current session only. The temp/temporary table automatically dropped/deleted once the current session expired:
    
    
    CREATE TEMP TABLE test_info(
    test_id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,  
    std_name TEXT,
    score INT);

A temporary table has been successfully created:

>  ** _Note:_** _A temporary/temp table can have the same name as a normal Postgres table._

This is how we can utilize the parameters along with the **“CREATE TABLE”** statement to achieve different functionalities.

##  **How to Create a Table Using pgAdmin**

You can use the pgAdmin to create a table manually or using SQL queries. To create a table via Postgres queries, open the pgAdmin, enter your password, select the database, launch the query tool, and finally execute the CREATE TABLE command.

Follow the below-given procedure to create a table in **PostgreSQL** using **pgAdmin (** manually **)** :

 **Step 1: Select the Database**

Firstly, open the **pgAdmin** and select the desired database:

Choose the database where you want a table to be created.

 **Step 2: Select the Schema**

Click on the **“schemas”** under the selected database:

 **Step 3: Create Table**

Now right-click on the **“public”** , then left-click/hover on the **“create”** option, and finally click on the **“Table...”** , as shown in the below snippet:

Consequently, the following window will appear:

 **Step 4: Enter Table Details**

Specify the table name under the **“General”** tab:

Now, open the columns tab to specify more details:

Click on the **“+”** sign to add a new row, insert the relevant details in each row, and finally click on the **“Save”** button.

 **Step 5: Resultant Output**

Scroll down a little bit to reach the “tables” section. You will see that the specified table has been created successfully:

Click on the **“SQL”** tab to open the resultant query created for the **“staff_details”** table.

##  **Conclusion**

In **PostgreSQL** , a table can be created using SQL SHELL (psql) or pgAdmin. To create a table using SQL query, execute the **" CREATE TABLE"** command in psql or pgAdmin's Query tool. To create a table manually using **pgAdmin** , follow the steps appropriately as described in this write-up. This post has explained some table creation methods in **PostgreSQL** using relevant screenshots.

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