> This page location: Managing Tables > Select Into > Full Neon documentation index: https://neon.com/docs/llms.txt # PostgreSQL SELECT INTO **Summary**: in this tutorial, you will learn how to use the PostgreSQL `SELECT INTO` statement to create a new table from the result set of a query. If you want to select data into variables, check out the [PL/pgSQL SELECT INTO statement](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/pl-pgsql-select-into/). ## Introduction to PostgreSQL SELECT INTO statement The PostgreSQL `SELECT INTO` statement [creates a new table](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-create-table) and [inserts data](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-insert) returned from a query into the table. The new table will have columns with the same names as the columns of the result set of the query. Unlike a regular [`SELECT`](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-select) statement, the `SELECT INTO` statement does not return a result to the client. Here's the basic syntax of the PostgreSQL `SELECT INTO` statement: ```sql SELECT select_list INTO [ TEMPORARY | TEMP ] [ TABLE ] new_table_name FROM table_name WHERE search_condition; ``` To create a new table with the structure and data derived from a result set, you specify the new table name after the `INTO` keyword. The `TEMP` or `TEMPORARY` keyword is optional; it allows you to create a [temporary table](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-temporary-table) instead. The `TABLE` keyword is optional, which enhances the clarity of the statement. The [`WHERE`](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-where) clause allows you to specify a condition that determines which rows from the original tables should be filled into the new table. Besides the `WHERE` clause, you can use other clauses in the `SELECT` statement for the `SELECT INTO` statement such as [`INNER JOIN`](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-inner-join), [`LEFT JOIN`](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-left-join), [`GROUP BY`](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-group-by), and [`HAVING`](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-having). Note that you cannot use the [`SELECT INTO`](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/pl-pgsql-select-into/) statement in PL/pgSQL because it interprets the `INTO` clause differently. In this case, you can use the [`CREATE TABLE AS`](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-create-table-as) statement which provides more functionality than the `SELECT INTO` statement. ## PostgreSQL SELECT INTO examples We will use the `film` table from the [sample database](../postgresql-getting-started/postgresql-sample-database) for the demonstration. ![PostgreSQL SELECT INTO sample table](https://neon.com/postgresqltutorial/film_table.png) ### 1) Basic PostgreSQL SELECT INTO statement example The following statement uses the `SELECT INTO` statement to create a new table called `film_r` that contains films with the rating `R` and rental duration 5 days from the `film` table. ```sql SELECT film_id, title, rental_rate INTO TABLE film_r FROM film WHERE rating = 'R' AND rental_duration = 5 ORDER BY title; ``` To verify the table creation, you can query data from the `film_r` table: ```sql SELECT * FROM film_r; ``` ![](https://neon.com/postgresqltutorial/PostgreSQL-Select-Into-Example.png) ### 2) Using the SELECT INTO statement to create a new temporary table The following example uses the `SELECT INTO` statement to create a temporary table named `short_film` that contains films whose lengths are under 60 minutes. ```sql SELECT film_id, title, length INTO TEMP TABLE short_film FROM film WHERE length < 60 ORDER BY title; ``` The following shows the data from the `short_film` table: ```sql SELECT * FROM short_film ORDER BY length DESC; ``` Output: ``` film_id | title | length ---------+----------------------+-------- 486 | Jet Neighbors | 59 465 | Interview Liaisons | 59 409 | Heartbreakers Bright | 59 947 | Vision Torque | 59 ... ``` ## Summary - Use the PostgreSQL `SELECT INTO` statement to create a new table from the result set of a query. --- ## Related docs (Managing Tables) - [PostgreSQL Data Types](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-data-types) - [Create Table](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-create-table) - [Create Table As](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-create-table-as) - [SERIAL](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-serial) - [Sequences](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-sequences) - [Identity Column](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-identity-column) - [Generated Columns](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-generated-columns) - [Alter Table](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-alter-table) - [Rename Table](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-rename-table) - [Add Column](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-add-column) - [Drop Column](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-drop-column) - [Change Column's Data Type](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-change-column-type) - [Rename Column](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-rename-column) - [Drop Table](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-drop-table) - [Temporary Table](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-temporary-table) - [Truncate Table](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-truncate-table) - [Copy Table](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-copy-table)