spark-instrumented-optimizer/docs/sql-ref-syntax-ddl-create-table-like.md

---
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title: CREATE TABLE LIKE
displayTitle: CREATE TABLE LIKE
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---

### Description

The `CREATE TABLE` statement defines a new table using the definition/metadata of an existing table or view.

### Syntax

{% highlight sql %}
CREATE TABLE [IF NOT EXISTS] table_identifier LIKE source_table_identifier
    USING data_source
    [ ROW FORMAT row_format ]
    [ STORED AS file_format ]
    [ TBLPROPERTIES ( key1=val1, key2=val2, ... ) ]
    [ LOCATION path ]
{% endhighlight %}

### Parameters

<dl>
  <dt><code><em>table_identifier</em></code></dt>
  <dd>
    Specifies a table name, which may be optionally qualified with a database name.<br><br>
    <b>Syntax:</b>  [ TBLPROPERTIES ( key1=val1, key2=val2, ... ) ]
      <code>
        [ database_name. ] table_name
      </code>
  </dd>
</dl>

<dl>
  <dt><code><em>USING data_source</em></code></dt>
  <dd>Data Source is the input format used to create the table. Data source can be CSV, TXT, ORC, JDBC, PARQUET, etc.</dd>
</dl> 

<dl>
  <dt><code><em>ROW FORMAT</em></code></dt>
  <dd>SERDE is used to specify a custom SerDe or the DELIMITED clause in order to use the native SerDe.</dd>
</dl>

<dl>
  <dt><code><em>STORED AS</em></code></dt>
  <dd>File format for table storage, could be TEXTFILE, ORC, PARQUET,etc.</dd>
</dl>

<dl>
  <dt><code><em>TBLPROPERTIES</em></code></dt>
  <dd>Table properties that have to be set are specified, such as `created.by.user`, `owner`, etc.
  </dd>
</dl>

<dl>
  <dt><code><em>LOCATION</em></code></dt>
  <dd>Path to the directory where table data is stored,Path to the directory where table data is stored, which could be a path on distributed storage like HDFS, etc. Location to create an external table.</dd>
</dl>

### Examples

{% highlight sql %}
-- Create table using an existing table
CREATE TABLE Student_Dupli like Student;

-- Create table like using a data source
CREATE TABLE Student_Dupli like Student USING CSV;

-- Table is created as external table at the location specified
CREATE TABLE Student_Dupli like Student location  '/root1/home';

-- Create table like using a rowformat
CREATE TABLE Student_Dupli like Student
    ROW FORMAT DELIMITED FIELDS TERMINATED BY ','
    STORED AS TEXTFILE
    TBLPROPERTIES ('owner'='xxxx');
{% endhighlight %}

### Related Statements

 * [CREATE TABLE USING DATASOURCE](sql-ref-syntax-ddl-create-table-datasource.html)
 * [CREATE TABLE USING HIVE FORMAT](sql-ref-syntax-ddl-create-table-hiveformat.html)