markdown/reference/sql/SELECT-INTO.html.md.erb

---
title: SELECT INTO
---

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Defines a new table from the results of a query.

## <a id="topic1__section2"></a>Synopsis

``` pre
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>] [, ...]]
    [LIMIT {<count> | ALL}]
    [OFFSET <start>]
    [FOR {UPDATE | SHARE} [OF <table_name> [, ...]] [NOWAIT]
    [...]]
```

## <a id="topic1__section3"></a>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`. Data is always distributed randomly.

## <a id="topic1__section4"></a>Parameters

The majority of parameters for `SELECT INTO` are the same as [SELECT](SELECT.html).

<dt>TEMPORARY,  
TEMP  </dt>
<dd>If specified, the table is created as a temporary table.</dd>

<dt> \<new\_table\>  </dt>
<dd>The name (optionally schema-qualified) of the table to be created.</dd>

## <a id="topic1__section5"></a>Examples

Create a new table `films_recent` consisting of only recent entries from the table `films`:

``` sql
SELECT * INTO films_recent FROM films WHERE date_prod >=
'2006-01-01';
```

## <a id="topic1__section6"></a>Compatibility

The SQL standard uses `SELECT INTO` to represent selecting values into scalar variables of a host program, rather than creating a new table. The HAWQ usage of `SELECT INTO` to represent table creation is historical. It is best to use [CREATE TABLE AS](CREATE-TABLE-AS.html) for this purpose in new applications.

## <a id="topic1__section7"></a>See Also

[SELECT](SELECT.html), [CREATE TABLE AS](CREATE-TABLE-AS.html)