AdvancedAdvanced PostgreSQL

Table inheritance in PostgreSQL

The query

SQL

-- Parent table
CREATE TABLE vehicles (
  vehicle_id  SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
  make        VARCHAR(100),
  model       VARCHAR(100),
  year        INT,
  price       NUMERIC
);

-- Child tables inherit all parent columns
CREATE TABLE cars (
  doors       INT,
  body_type   VARCHAR(50)
) INHERITS (vehicles);

CREATE TABLE trucks (
  payload_kg  NUMERIC,
  axle_count  INT
) INHERITS (vehicles);

-- Query all vehicles (parent + children)
SELECT * FROM vehicles;  -- includes cars and trucks
SELECT * FROM ONLY vehicles;  -- only parent rows

Tested against PostgreSQL 16

Note

“Table inheritance: child inherits parent columns. SELECT from parent returns all descendants. ONLY restricts to single table.