---
name: "select_into"
section: "7l"
platform: "linux"
package: "postgresql-client"
version: "7.2.1-2woody8"
release: "Debian 3.0 (Woody)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/select_into/7l"
---

# select\_into(7l)

create a new table from the results of a query

## NAME

SELECT INTO - create a new table from the results of a query

## SYNOPSIS

```
SELECT [ ALL | DISTINCT [ ON ( expression [, ...] ) ] ]
    * | expression [ AS output_name ] [, ...]
    INTO [ TEMPORARY | TEMP ] [ TABLE ] new_table
    [ FROM from_item [, ...] ]
    [ WHERE condition ]
    [ GROUP BY expression [, ...] ]
    [ HAVING condition [, ...] ]
    [ { UNION | INTERSECT | EXCEPT } [ ALL ] select ]
    [ ORDER BY expression [ ASC | DESC | USING operator ] [, ...] ]
    [ FOR UPDATE [ OF tablename [, ...] ] ]
    [ LIMIT [ start , ] { count | ALL } ]
    [ OFFSET start ]
where from_item can be:
[ ONLY ] table_name [ * ]
    [ [ AS ] alias [ ( column_alias_list ) ] ]
|
( select )
    [ AS ] alias [ ( column_alias_list ) ]
|
from_item [ NATURAL ] join_type from_item
    [ ON join_condition | USING ( join_column_list ) ]

```

### INPUTS

- **TEMPORARY**

  - **TEMP**

  If TEMPORARY or TEMP is specified, the output table is created only within this session, and is automatically dropped on session exit. Existing permanent tables with the same name are not visible (in this session) while the temporary table exists. Any indexes created on a temporary table are automatically temporary as well.

- *new\_table*

  The name of the new table to be created. This table must not already exist. However, a temporary table can be created that has the same name as an existing permanent table.

All other inputs are described in detail for **select**(l).

### OUTPUTS

Refer to **create\_table**(l) and **select**(l) for a summary of possible output messages.

## DESCRIPTION

**SELECT INTO** creates a new table and fills it with data computed by a query. The data is not returned to the client, as it is with a normal **SELECT**. The new table's columns have the names and data types associated with the output columns of the **SELECT**.

**Note:** **create\_table\_as**(l) is functionally equivalent to **SELECT INTO**. **CREATE TABLE AS** is the recommended syntax, since **SELECT INTO** is not standard. In fact, this form of **SELECT INTO** is not available in **PL/pgSQL** or [**ecpg**(1)](/ecpg/1.md), because they interpret the INTO clause differently.

## COMPATIBILITY

SQL92 uses **SELECT ... INTO** to represent selecting values into scalar variables of a host program, rather than creating a new table. This indeed is the usage found in **PL/pgSQL** and [**ecpg**(1)](/ecpg/1.md). The PostgreSQL usage of **SELECT** **INTO** to represent table creation is historical. It's best to use **CREATE TABLE AS** for this purpose in new code. (**CREATE TABLE AS** isn't standard either, but it's less likely to cause confusion.)