Listing Tables in PostgreSQL: A Simple Guide

Learn how to easily view all tables in your PostgreSQL database. This tutorial provides simple SQL commands to list tables, making database management more efficient. #PostgreSQL #SQL #Database #DatabaseTutorial #TableListing

Showing Tables in PostgreSQL

This section explains how to list tables in a PostgreSQL database. This is particularly helpful when working with many databases or tables.

PostgreSQL: Showing Tables using psql

The psql command-line tool provides a simple way to list tables. Use the command \dt to list all tables in the currently selected database. (Assume you've already connected to your PostgreSQL server using psql.)

\dt
            

To use this command, you need to connect to the desired database first using \c databasename.

PostgreSQL: Showing Tables using pgAdmin 4

pgAdmin 4 uses SQL queries to list tables. The following query retrieves information from the PostgreSQL catalog (pg_tables).

SELECT * FROM pg_catalog.pg_tables
WHERE schemaname != 'pg_catalog'
AND schemaname != 'information_schema';
            

pg_tables contains detailed information on each table. The WHERE clause filters out system tables.

You can modify the WHERE clause to filter by schema (e.g., WHERE schemaname = 'myschema' to show tables in the myschema schema). Omitting the WHERE clause will list all tables, including system tables, which are usually not relevant for general use.

Alternatively, you can use the information_schema catalog (which exists in all databases):

select *
from information_schema.tables
where table_schema='public';
            

This query lists tables in the public schema.

Overview

We've explored two methods for listing tables in PostgreSQL: using the \dt command in psql and using SQL queries against the pg_catalog.pg_tables or information_schema.tables system catalogs in pgAdmin 4.