---
title: "ext_tables.sql"
manual: "TYPO3 Explained"
version: "11.5"
permalink: "https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3coreapi:ext-tables-sql@11.5"
source: "ExtensionArchitecture/FileStructure/ExtTablesSql.rst"
rendered: "2026-10-21T15:30:00+00:00"
---

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# `ext_tables.sql` {#ext-tables-sql}

*-- optional*

The `ext_tables.sql` file in the root folder of an extension holds
additional SQL definition of database tables.

This file should contain a table-structure dump of the tables used by
the extension which are not [auto-generated](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3coreapi:auto-generated-db-structure@11.5).
It is used for evaluation of the database structure and is applied to the
database when an extension is enabled.

If you add additional fields (or depend on certain fields) to existing tables
you can also put them here. In this case insert a `CREATE TABLE` structure
for that table, but remove all lines except the ones defining the fields you
need. Here is an example adding a column to the pages table:

```sql
CREATE TABLE pages (
    tx_myextension_field int(11) DEFAULT '0' NOT NULL,
);
```

TYPO3 will merge this table definition to the existing table definition when
comparing expected and actual table definitions (for example, via the
**Admin Tools > Maintenance > Analyze Database Structure** or the
[CLI](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3coreapi:symfony-console-commands@11.5) command `extension:setup`. Partial
definitions can also contain indexes and other directives. They can also change
existing table fields - but that is not recommended, because it may
create problems with the TYPO3 Core and/or other extensions.

The `ext_tables.sql` file may not necessarily be "dumpable" directly to
a database (because of the semi-complete table definitions allowed that
define only required fields). But the extension manager or admin tools can
handle this.

TYPO3 parses `ext_tables.sql` files. TYPO3 expects that all
table definitions in this file look like the ones produced by the
`mysqldump` utility. Incorrect definitions may not be recognized
by the TYPO3 SQL parser or may lead to SQL errors, when TYPO3 tries
to apply them. If TYPO3 is not running on MySQL or a directly compatible
other DBMS like MariaDB, the system will
parse the file towards the target DBMS like PostgreSQL or SQLite.

## Auto-generated structure {#auto-generated-db-structure}

The database schema analyzer automatically creates TYPO3 "management"-related
database columns by reading a table's TCA and checking the [Table properties (ctrl)](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-tca/11.5/en-us/Ctrl/Index.html#ctrl)
section for table capabilities. Field definitions in `ext_tables.sql` take
precedence over automatically generated fields, so the TYPO3 Core never
overrides a manually specified column definition from an `ext_tables.sql`
file.

These columns below are automatically added if not defined in
`ext_tables.sql` for database tables that provide a `$GLOBALS['TCA']`
definition:

-   **`uid` and `PRIMARY KEY`**

    If the `uid` field is not provided inside the `ext_tables.sql`
    file, the `PRIMARY KEY` constraint **must** be omitted, too.

-   **`pid` and `KEY parent`**

    The column `pid` is `unsigned`, if the table is not
    [workspace](https://docs.typo3.org/c/typo3/cms-workspaces/11.5/en-us/Index.html)-aware, the default index
    `parent` includes `pid` and `hidden` as well as
    `deleted`, if the latter two are specified in TCA's
    [Table properties (ctrl)](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-tca/11.5/en-us/Ctrl/Index.html#ctrl). The parent index creation is only applied, if the column
    `pid` is auto-generated, too.

The following [$GLOBALS\['TCA'\]\['ctrl'\]](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-tca/11.5/en-us/Ctrl/Index.html#ctrl) are considered for
auto-generated fields, if they are not manually defined in the
`ext_tables.sql` file:

-   **`['ctrl']['tstamp'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `tstamp` or `updatedon`.

-   **`['ctrl']['cruser_id'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to sql:`cruser` or sql:`createdby`

-   **`['ctrl']['delete'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `deleted`.

-   **`['ctrl']['enablecolumns']['disabled'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `hidden` or `disabled`.

-   **`['ctrl']['enablecolumns']['starttime'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `starttime`.

-   **`['ctrl']['enablecolumns']['endtime'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `endtime`.

-   **`['ctrl']['enablecolumns']['fe_group'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `fe_group`.

-   **`['ctrl']['sortby'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `sorting`.

-   **`['ctrl']['descriptionColumn'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `description`.

-   **`['ctrl']['editlock'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `editlock`.

-   **`['ctrl']['languageField'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `sys_language_uid`.

-   **`['ctrl']['transOrigPointerField'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `l10n_parent`.

-   **`['ctrl']['translationSource'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `l10n_source`.

-   **`l10n_state`**

    Column added if `['ctrl']['languageField']` and
    `['ctrl']['transOrigPointerField']` are set.

-   **`['ctrl']['origUid'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `t3_origuid`.

-   **`['ctrl']['transOrigDiffSourceField'] = 'my_field_name'`**

    Often set to `l10n_diffsource`.

-   **`['ctrl']['versioningWS'] = true` and `t3ver_*` columns**

    Columns that make a table [workspace](https://docs.typo3.org/c/typo3/cms-workspaces/11.5/en-us/Index.html)-aware. All
    those fields are prefixed with `t3ver_`, for example `t3ver_oid`.
    A default index named `t3ver_oid` to fields `t3ver_oid` and
    `t3ver_wsid` is added, too.

The following
[$GLOBALS\['TCA'\]\[$table\]\['columns'\]\[$field\]\['config'\]](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-tca/11.5/en-us/ColumnsConfig/Index.html#columns-types)
are considered for auto-generated fields, if they are not manually defined in
the `ext_tables.sql` file:

-   **`['config']['MM']`**

    `CREATE TABLE` definitions for intermediate tables referenced by TCA
    table columns should not be defined manually in the `ext_tables.sql`
    file:

    -   [TCA type "group"](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-tca/11.5/en-us/ColumnsConfig/Type/Group/Properties/Mm.html#columns-group-properties-mm)
    -   [TCA type "inline"](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-tca/11.5/en-us/ColumnsConfig/Type/Inline/Properties/Mm.html#columns-inline-properties-mm)
    -   [TCA type "select"](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-tca/11.5/en-us/ColumnsConfig/Type/Select/Properties/Mm.html#columns-select-properties-mm)