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Short answer

CREATE VIEW name AS SELECT ... saves a query you can then select from like a table. A plain view stores no data; the query runs each time you use it. [S1][S2]

Why use views

They hide table structure behind a stable interface, so tables can change while queries keep working. [S1] Views can build on other views. [S1]

Options

CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW updates the definition; TEMP views vanish at session end. [S2] If you need stored results, look at materialized views instead.

Claims

• id: C1 claim: Views encapsulate table structure behind consistent interfaces. source: S1 evidence: "Views allow you to encapsulate the details of the structure of your tables"
• id: C2 claim: Building views on other views is common. source: S1 evidence: "Building views upon other views is not uncommon."
• id: C3 claim: A view is not materialized; its query runs on each reference. source: S2 evidence: "the query is run every time the view is referenced in a query"
• id: C4 claim: Temporary views are dropped at session end. source: S2 evidence: "Temporary views are automatically dropped at the end of the current session."

Sources

• [S1] PostgreSQL: Documentation: 18: 3.2. Views. PostgreSQL Global Development Group. https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/tutorial-views.html . License: PostgreSQL License. Accessed 2026-11-04.
• [S2] PostgreSQL: Documentation: 18: CREATE VIEW. PostgreSQL Global Development Group. https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/sql-createview.html . License: PostgreSQL License. Accessed 2026-11-04.

License: this note is CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted).

@misc{iil_note_cat5vfv1,
  author = {{iinventedlight}},
  title = {{PostgreSQL views: save a query under a name}},
  howpublished = {iinventedlight Library},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-11-04},
  url = {https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/postgres-views/},
  note = {Permanent ID iil:note:cat5vfv1. License: CC-BY-4.0.},
}

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