SQL Create Table

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SQL Create Table

The Create Table activity is VisuaLeaf's guided DDL wizard for building brand-new tables against any supported SQL connection (PostgreSQL, MariaDB/MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, or SQLite). It offers a form-based designer and a raw script editor that stay in sync via a live CREATE TABLE preview, so you can define columns, foreign keys, indexes, and table options without leaving the workspace.

     Quick Start

    Right-click a database in the sidebar and choose New Table (or open the activity from the palette with Ctrl+Shift+P).
Type a Table Name at the top of the form.
On the Columns tab, add or edit columns — set the type, PK, nullability, default, and (where applicable) auto-increment.
Switch to Foreign Keys, Indexes, and Options to complete the schema.
Open the SQL Preview tab to review the generated CREATE TABLE.
Click Create Table in the bottom bar to execute against the target database.

    
  

Form vs. Script Mode

The Form / Script toggle in the top-right corner switches between authoring modes:

Form mode — a tabbed designer with structured inputs for columns, FKs, indexes, and options. Every change updates the live CREATE TABLE preview.
Script mode — a raw SQL textarea for pasting or hand-writing a DDL statement. Use this to import an existing script or add dialect-specific clauses the form does not surface.

The bottom bar always shows a single Create Table button; it executes whichever mode is currently active.

Create Table in Script mode, showing the CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS statement for market.gift_cards as editable text

Columns Tab

Columns are the heart of the wizard. When you open the activity, VisuaLeaf inserts a sensible default id primary key for the dialect (SERIAL on Postgres, INT AUTO_INCREMENT on MariaDB, INTEGER on SQLite, IDENTITY on Oracle, INT identity on SQL Server).

Field	Purpose
Column	The identifier. Highlighted in red if it fails the `COLUMN_NAME` regex or is a duplicate.
Type	Dialect-aware dropdown (INT, VARCHAR, NUMERIC, JSONB, etc.) plus optional size(1) and size(2) inputs (precision/scale).
Default	Free-form literal or expression. A placeholder suggests a sensible default for the chosen type (e.g. `0` for INT, `CURRENT_TIMESTAMP` for TIMESTAMP).
PK	Toggle primary-key membership. Multiple columns can be flagged for a composite key.
Nullable	Green dot = `NULL` allowed, red ban = `NOT NULL`.
More	Expands an inline detail row for auto-increment / sequence / identity settings and a column comment.
Reorder / Delete	Arrow buttons move a row up or down; the trash icon removes it.

Auto Increment, Sequences, and Identity

The expandable row surfaces the identity strategy that matches your dialect:

MariaDB / SQL Server / SQLite — an Auto Increment toggle with optional Seed and Step inputs (Step is hidden for MariaDB).
PostgreSQL — a Sequence / Auto ID selector: None, SERIAL (auto), or Use existing sequence (paired with a dropdown of sequences in the current database).
Oracle — an Identity selector: None or GENERATED AS IDENTITY.
MariaDB numeric columns also expose an inline unsigned chip.

Foreign Keys Tab

Add composite foreign keys with per-pair source and target column selectors. A new table starts with none:

Click Add Foreign Key.
Pick a Ref. Table from the dropdown — VisuaLeaf reads the current database schema.
Map local column → referenced column pairs. Add extra pairs with Add column pair.
Choose ON DELETE and ON UPDATE actions (NO ACTION, CASCADE, SET NULL, SET DEFAULT, RESTRICT).

Indexes Tab

Primary key indexes are created automatically. Use Add Index on this tab to add secondary indexes:

Name — the index identifier (e.g. idx_users_email).
UNIQUE — toggle for a unique index.
Columns — one or more columns; use Add column for composite indexes.

Options Tab

Table-level options depend on the connection's dialect. On PostgreSQL you get IF NOT EXISTS and a table comment:

IF NOT EXISTS — appended for dialects that support it. SQL Server and Oracle silently omit the clause with an inline warning.
Engine — MariaDB only; choose from InnoDB, MyISAM, Memory, Archive, etc.
Table Comment — free-form description emitted as a table-level comment or COMMENT ON TABLE statement, depending on dialect.

SQL Preview Tab

Every keystroke re-renders the full CREATE TABLE statement in a read-only monospace block.

A fuller example (PostgreSQL), with a foreign key, a unique index, and a table comment:

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS users (
    id         SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
    email      VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
    name       VARCHAR(120),
    is_admin   BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT false,
    tenant_id  INTEGER NOT NULL,
    created_at TIMESTAMP NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    CONSTRAINT fk_users_tenant FOREIGN KEY (tenant_id)
        REFERENCES tenants (id) ON DELETE CASCADE
);

CREATE UNIQUE INDEX idx_users_email ON users (email);
COMMENT ON TABLE users IS 'Application users';

Executing the Statement

Click Create Table in the bottom bar. The button is disabled until the table name is set (form mode) or the script is non-empty (script mode). If execution fails, the error is inlined next to the button; fix the issue and re-run.

Tab Persistence

Switching between activities preserves the entire editor state — table name, columns, foreign keys, indexes, options, and the active tab — so you can jump to the SQL Editor to prototype a fragment and come back without losing work.

SQL Editor - Prototype the DDL by hand, then paste into script mode.
SQL Table - Browse data once the table is created.
SQL Table Info - Modify columns, constraints, and indexes on an existing table.
SQL Manage Sequences - Create the PostgreSQL sequence referenced by an auto-ID column.
SQL Query Builder - Explore the new table visually.

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