# Introspection

> SHOW TABLES, SHOW CREATE and DESCRIBE in NYXDB, and where the system relations take over.

Introspection statements read the catalog. `SHOW CREATE …` returns the
canonical definition of one object; `SHOW TABLES` and `DESCRIBE` are answered
from system relations.

## SHOW CREATE

| Statement | Returns |
| --- | --- |
| `SHOW CREATE TABLE t` | The table's definition. |
| `SHOW CREATE VIEW v` | A logical view's definition. |
| `SHOW CREATE MATERIALIZED VIEW m` | A materialized view's definition. |
| `SHOW CREATE MATERIALIZATION i` | A materialization instance's definition. |
| `SHOW CREATE TRANSFORMATION x` | A transformation's definition. |

`SHOW CREATE TABLE` and `SHOW CREATE VIEW` answer one row with the column
`create_statement`.

```sql
SHOW CREATE TABLE balances;
```

```sql
SHOW CREATE VIEW address_balances;
```

```sql
SHOW CREATE MATERIALIZED VIEW token_volume;
```

```sql
SHOW CREATE MATERIALIZATION balances_chain_1;
```

```sql
SHOW CREATE TRANSFORMATION balance_activity;
```

The definition printed by `SHOW CREATE TABLE` re-runs as a valid
`CREATE TABLE`.

## SHOW TABLES and DESCRIBE

```sql
SHOW TABLES;
```

```sql
DESCRIBE TABLE balances;
```

`DESCRIBE` also accepts `DESC` and may omit `TABLE`. The gateway answers
`SHOW TABLES` from `system.tables` and `DESCRIBE` from `system.table_columns`.

## EXPLAIN, CANCEL QUERY and SHOW FUNCTIONS

`EXPLAIN` prints the plan of a statement, `CANCEL QUERY` stops a running query
by its id, and `SHOW FUNCTIONS` lists the function library. A client also stops
a request by sending a `Cancel` frame for its request id; see
[Query lifecycle](/docs/drivers/query-lifecycle).

## System relations

For everything beyond one object's definition — indexes and their builds,
attribute groups, partitions, transformations and their revisions, lineage,
queries, settings and credentials — read the system relations directly. See
[System relations](/docs/operations/system-tables).

---

Source: https://nyxdb.io/docs/sql/introspection/