# Import data from CSV

To import data from a CSV file into your Neon database, create the target table first, then run the psql `\copy` meta-command from a session connected to your database. `\copy` streams the CSV from your local machine over the existing connection, so it works without any special server-side file access. This topic walks through the process with a simple example.

:::callout{intent="note" title="Use psql, not the SQL Editor, for \copy"}
`\copy` is a psql client-side meta-command, so it runs in psql rather than on the Postgres server. The Neon SQL Editor doesn't support it, and the server-side `COPY ... FROM '/path/to/file.csv'` form can't read from Neon's server filesystem. Run `\copy` from psql or a Postgres GUI such as DBeaver or pgAdmin. For a large or messy CSV that needs encoding fixes, type casts, or parallel loading, [pgloader](https://pgloader.readthedocs.io/) is a good alternative.
:::

The instructions require a working installation of [psql](https://www.postgresql.org/download/). The `psql` client is the native command-line client for Postgres. It provides an interactive session for sending commands to Postgres. For installation instructions, see [How to install psql](/guides/postgres-connect-query-with-psql-editor#how-to-install-psql).

The following example uses the ready-to-use `neondb` database that is created with your Neon project, a table named `customer`, and a data file named `customer.csv`. Data is loaded from the `customer.csv` file into the `customer` table.

:::::steps
::::step{title="Connect to your database"}
Connect to the `neondb` database using `psql`. For example:

```bash
psql "<your_neon_database_connection_string>"
```

You can find your connection string by clicking **Connect** in the Console nav. Use the drop-down menu to copy a full `psql` connection command.

:::callout{intent="note"}
For more information about connecting to Neon with `psql`, see [Connect with psql](/guides/postgres-connect-query-with-psql-editor).
:::
::::

::::step{title="Create the target table"}
Create the `customer` table: the table you are importing to must exist in your database and the columns must match your CSV file.

```sql
CREATE TABLE customer (
   id SERIAL,
   first_name VARCHAR(50),
   last_name VARCHAR(50),
   email VARCHAR(255),
   PRIMARY KEY (id)
)
```

:::callout{intent="tip"}
You can also create tables using the **SQL Editor** in the Neon Console. See [Query with Neon's SQL Editor](/guides/postgres-get-started-query-with-neon-sql-editor).
:::
::::

:::step{title="Prepare the CSV file"}
Prepare a `customer.csv` file with the following data. Note that the columns in the CSV file match the columns in the table you created in the previous step.

```
First Name,Last Name,Email
1,Casey,Smith,casey.smith@example.com
2,Sally,Jones,sally.jones@example.com
```
:::

:::step{title="Load the data"}
From your `psql` prompt, load the data from the `customer.csv` file using the `\copy` option.

```bash
\copy customer FROM '/path/to/customer.csv' DELIMITER ',' CSV HEADER
```

If the command runs successfully, it returns the number of records copied to the database:

```bash
COPY 2
```

For more information about the `\copy` option, refer to the [psql reference](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/app-psql.html), in the _PostgreSQL Documentation_.
:::
:::::

## Need help?

Join our [Discord Server](https://neon.com/discord) to ask questions or see what others are doing with Neon. For paid plan support options, see [Support](/guides/postgres-introduction-support).

## Related pages

- [Neon data migration guides](./neon-docs-import-migrate-intro.md)
- [Utilities](./neon-docs-utilities.md)
- [Migrate from](./neon-docs-migrate-from.md)
- [Logical replication](./neon-docs-logical-replication.md)
- [Migration services](./neon-docs-migration-services.md)
- [Region migration](./neon-docs-region-migration.md)
- [Postgres sample data](./neon-docs-import-import-sample-data.md)

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