## Synopsis Use the `CREATE KEYSPACE` statement to create a `keyspace` that functions as a grouping mechanism for database objects, (such as [tables](../ddl_create_table) or [types](../ddl_create_type)). ## Syntax ### Diagram #### create_keyspace CREATEKEYSPACESCHEMAIFNOTEXISTSkeyspace_namekeyspace_properties #### keyspace_properties WITHREPLICATION={,keyspace_property}ANDDURABLE_WRITES=truefalse ### Grammar ```ebnf create_keyspace ::= CREATE { KEYSPACE | SCHEMA } [ IF NOT EXISTS ] keyspace_name [ WITH REPLICATION '=' '{' keyspace_property '}'] [ AND DURABLE_WRITES '=' { true | false } ] keyspace_property ::= property_name = property_value ``` Where - `keyspace_name` and `property_name` are identifiers. - `property_value` is a literal of either [boolean](../type_bool), [text](../type_text), or [map](../type_collection) data type. ## Semantics - An error is raised if the specified `keyspace_name` already exists unless `IF NOT EXISTS` option is present. - Cassandra's CQL keyspace properties are supported in the syntax but have no effect internally (where YugabyteDB defaults are used instead). ## Examples ```sql ycqlsh> CREATE KEYSPACE example; ``` ```sql ycqlsh> DESCRIBE KEYSPACES; ``` ```output example system_schema system_auth system ``` ```sql ycqlsh> DESCRIBE example; ``` ```sql CREATE KEYSPACE example WITH REPLICATION = {'class': 'SimpleStrategy', 'replication_factor': '3'} AND DURABLE_WRITES = true; ``` ```sql ycqlsh> CREATE SCHEMA example; ``` ```output SQL error: Keyspace Already Exists CREATE SCHEMA example; ^^^^^^ ``` ## See also - [`ALTER KEYSPACE`](../ddl_alter_keyspace) - [`DROP KEYSPACE`](../ddl_drop_keyspace) - [`USE`](../ddl_use)