Sql Server: How to copy a table?

This is the simplest way to copy a table into another (new) table in the same SQL Server database. This way of copying does not copy constraints and indexes.

select * into [destination table] from [source table] Example: Select * into employee_backup from employee

We can also select only a few columns into the destination table like below

select col1, col2, col3 into [destination table]from [source table] Example: Select empId, empFirstName, empLastName, emgAge into employee_backup from employee

Use this to copy only the structure of the source table.

select * into [destination table] from [source table] where 1 = 2 Example: select * into employee_backup from employee where 1=2

Use this to copy a table across two database in the same Sql Server.

select * into [destination database.dbo.destination table] from [source database.dbo.source table] Example: select * into Mydatabase2.dbo.employee_backup from mydatabase1.dbo.employee