PostgreSQL: Show tables in PostgreSQL

Question

What\'s the equivalent to show tables (from MySQL) in PostgreSQL?

Answer 1

You can use PostgreSQL's interactive terminal Psql to show tables in PostgreSQL.

1. Start Psql

Usually you can run the following command to enter into psql:

psql DBNAME USERNAME

For example, psql template1 postgres

One situation you might have is: suppose you login as root, and you don't remember the database name. You can just enter first into Psql by running:

sudo -u postgres psql

In some systems, sudo command is not available, you can instead run either command below:

psql -U postgres
psql --username=postgres

2. Show tables

Now in Psql you could run commands such as:

1. \? list all the commands
2. \l list databases
3. \conninfo display information about current connection
4. \c [DBNAME] connect to new database, e.g., \c template1
5. \dt list tables of the public schema
6. \dt <schema-name>.* list tables of certain schema, e.g., \dt public.*
7. \dt *.* list tables of all schemas
8. Then you can run SQL statements, e.g., SELECT * FROM my_table;(Note: a statement must be terminated with semicolon ;)
9. \q quit psql

Answer 2

If you only want to see the list of tables you've created, you may only say:

\dt

But we also have PATTERN which will help you customize which tables to show. To show all including pg_catalog Schema, you can add *.

\dt *

If you do: \?

\dt[S+] [PATTERN] list tables

Answer 3

If you are using pgAdmin4 in PostgreSQL, you can use this to show the tables in your database:

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

Answer 4

Login as a superuser so that you can check all the databases and their schemas:-

sudo su - postgres

Then we can get to postgresql shell by using following command:-

psql

You can now check all the databases list by using the following command:-

\l

If you would like to check the sizes of the databases as well use:-

\l+

Press q to go back.

Once you have found your database now you can connect to that database using the following command:-

\c database_name

Once connected you can check the database tables or schema by:-

\d

Now to return back to the shell use:-

q

Now to further see the details of a certain table use:-

\d table_name

To go back to postgresql_shell press \q.

And to return back to terminal press exit.

Answer 5

To view foreign tables in psql, run \dE

Answer 6

\dt will list tables, and "\pset pager off" shows them in the same window, without switching to a separate one. Love that feature to death in dbshell.