How do I create tables in my Neon database using SQL?

Neon runs standard Postgres, so you create tables with standard CREATE TABLE syntax. Run the statement from the Neon SQL Editor in the Console, from psql, or through any application driver. Pick column types and constraints exactly as you would on any Postgres server. For anything beyond a quick experiment, use a migration tool so your schema lives in version control. See Query with Neon's SQL Editor for the in-Console workflow.

Create a table

A realistic example using common Postgres types and constraints:

CREATE TABLE users (
  id           BIGSERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
  email        TEXT NOT NULL UNIQUE,
  display_name TEXT,
  is_active    BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT TRUE,
  metadata     JSONB NOT NULL DEFAULT '{}'::jsonb,
  created_at   TIMESTAMPTZ NOT NULL DEFAULT now(),
  updated_at   TIMESTAMPTZ NOT NULL DEFAULT now()
);

CREATE TABLE posts (
  id         BIGSERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
  user_id    BIGINT NOT NULL REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
  title      TEXT NOT NULL,
  body       TEXT,
  published  BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT FALSE,
  created_at TIMESTAMPTZ NOT NULL DEFAULT now()
);

CREATE INDEX posts_user_id_idx ON posts (user_id);

A few notes on the choices above:

BIGSERIAL gives you an auto-incrementing 64-bit primary key. For newer projects, GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY is the modern equivalent.
Prefer TEXT over VARCHAR(n) unless you have a specific length constraint. Both store the same way in Postgres.
TIMESTAMPTZ (timestamp with time zone) is almost always the right time type.
JSONB lets you store and index JSON. Use it for flexible attributes; use regular columns for anything you query often.
REFERENCES adds a foreign key. Add a regular index on the column too; Postgres doesn't create one automatically for the referencing side.

Three places you can run it

Open the Neon Console and select your project.
Click SQL Editor in the sidebar.
Pick the branch and database from the selectors at the top.
Paste the CREATE TABLE statement and click Run.

The SQL Editor also supports meta-commands like \dt (list tables) and \d users (describe a table). See Meta-commands.

Use a migration tool for real schemas

Ad-hoc CREATE TABLE is fine for prototyping. For anything that needs to evolve, use a migration tool: Drizzle, Prisma Migrate, Alembic, dbmate, Flyway, or sqlx. Migrations keep your schema in version control, apply consistently across environments, and play well with Neon's branching workflow (each branch can carry its own migrated schema).