---
title: Tables
description: Create and drop tables in simple mode and in advanced-mode SQL, including compound primary keys.
sidebar:
  order: 2
---

A table is the core building block. This page covers creating and removing
tables; changing a table's columns after it exists is covered in
[Columns](/reference/columns/).

## Create a table (simple mode)

The simplest way to create a table is `with pk` on its own — it gives the
table a ready-made primary-key column named `id` that the database fills in
for you:

```rdbms
create table authors with pk
```

Prefer to name the key, or give it a specific type? Name it in the `with pk`
clause:

```rdbms
create table authors with pk author_id(serial)
```

Either way, the rest of the columns are added afterwards with `add column`:

```rdbms
add column to authors: name (text)
add column to authors: birth_year (int)
```

### Compound primary keys

To make the primary key span more than one column, list them, comma
separated:

```rdbms
create table loans with pk book_id(int), member_id(int)
```

**Syntax**

```rdbms-syntax
create table <Name> with pk [<col>(<type>)[, ...]]
```

## Create a table (advanced mode)

In advanced mode you write a full `CREATE TABLE` with every column and
constraint inline:

```sql
create table authors (
  author_id serial primary key,
  name text not null,
  birth_year int
)
```

The advanced form also accepts table-level constraints and inline foreign
keys — see [Constraints](/reference/constraints/) and
[Relationships](/reference/relationships/).

**Syntax**

```rdbms-syntax
create table [if not exists] <Name> (<col> <type> [constraints], ...)
```

## Drop a table

```rdbms
drop table authors
```

In advanced mode you may add `if exists` so removing a table that is not
there succeeds quietly:

```sql
drop table if exists authors
```

:::caution
Dropping a table removes its rows as well. Use `undo` if you drop one by
mistake.
:::

## Renaming a table

Renaming a table is available in advanced mode:

```sql
alter table authors rename to writers
```

There is no simple-mode rename verb — switch to advanced mode (or use the
one-line `:` escape) to rename a table.