How to create table in SQL?

 Introduction

Creating a table is one of the fundamental tasks in relational database management systems (RDBMS). MySQL is a popular RDBMS that allows you to create tables and define their structure and relationships.
In this guide, I will explain how to create a table in MySQL step by step, including the syntax, data types, and constraints you can use to define your table's columns and their properties.

What is a Table in MySQL?

In MySQL, a table is a collection of related data organized into rows and columns. Each row represents a single record, and each column represents a specific piece of information about the record. For example, a table of customer data might include columns for the customer's name, email address, and phone number.

You can think of a table as a spreadsheet where each row represents a single record, and each column represents a specific attribute of that record. However, unlike a spreadsheet, MySQL tables are stored in a structured way that allows you to query, search, and manipulate the data efficiently.

How to Create Table in MySQL?

To create a table in MySQL, you use the CREATE TABLE statement followed by the table name and the columns that make up the table. Here is the basic syntax for creating a table in MySQL:

Let's break down each part of this syntax.

Creating the Table Name

The first part of the 'CREATE TABLE' statement is the table name. This is the name you want to give to your table. The table name must be unique within the database and should be descriptive enough to help you understand what kind of data the table contains.

In this example, the table name is customers, which suggests that the table contains data about customers.

Defining the Columns

The next part of the CREATE TABLE statement is the column definition. This is where you specify the columns that make up the table and their data types.

In this example, we have defined five columns for the customers table:

1. 'id' is an integer column with a length of 11. We have also specified the 'NOT NULL' constraint, which means that this column cannot be empty.
2. 'first_name' is a varchar column with a maximum length of 50 characters. We have also specified the 'NOT NULL' constraint.
3. 'last_name' is a varchar column with a maximum length of 50 characters. We have also specified the 'NOT NULL' constraint.
4. 'email' is a varchar column with a maximum length of 100 characters. We have also specified the 'NOT NULL' constraint.
5. 'age' is an integer column with a length of 3. We have specified the 'DEFAULT NULL' constraint, which means that this column can be empty.

Data Types of MySQL