How to generate the “create table” sql statement for an existing table in postgreSQL

Question

I have created a table in postgreSQL. I want to look at the SQL statement used to create the table but cannot figure it out.

How do I get the create table

Answer 1

Here is a bit improved version of shekwi's query.
It generates the primary key constraint and is able to handle temporary tables:

with pkey as
(
    select cc.conrelid, format(E',
    constraint %I primary key(%s)', cc.conname,
        string_agg(a.attname, ', ' 
            order by array_position(cc.conkey, a.attnum))) pkey
    from pg_catalog.pg_constraint cc
        join pg_catalog.pg_class c on c.oid = cc.conrelid
        join pg_catalog.pg_attribute a on a.attrelid = cc.conrelid 
            and a.attnum = any(cc.conkey)
    where cc.contype = 'p'
    group by cc.conrelid, cc.conname
)
select format(E'create %stable %s%I\n(\n%s%s\n);\n',
    case c.relpersistence when 't' then 'temporary ' else '' end,
    case c.relpersistence when 't' then '' else n.nspname || '.' end,
    c.relname,
    string_agg(
        format(E'\t%I %s%s',
            a.attname,
            pg_catalog.format_type(a.atttypid, a.atttypmod),
            case when a.attnotnull then ' not null' else '' end
        ), E',\n'
        order by a.attnum
    ),
    (select pkey from pkey where pkey.conrelid = c.oid)) as sql
from pg_catalog.pg_class c
    join pg_catalog.pg_namespace n on n.oid = c.relnamespace
    join pg_catalog.pg_attribute a on a.attrelid = c.oid and a.attnum > 0
    join pg_catalog.pg_type t on a.atttypid = t.oid
where c.relname = :table_name
group by c.oid, c.relname, c.relpersistence, n.nspname;

Use table_name parameter to specify the name of the table.