How to export table BigQuery to csv in PostgreSQL

Galaxy Glossary

How do I export a BigQuery table to CSV?

EXPORT DATA writes a BigQuery table or query result set to Google Cloud Storage as one or more CSV files.

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Description

Why export a BigQuery table to CSV?

CSV is universally supported, lightweight, and perfect for spreadsheets or quick data transfers. Exporting directly from BigQuery avoids giving analysts warehouse access while keeping schema fidelity.

What is the basic EXPORT DATA command?

EXPORT DATA streams table or query results to Google Cloud Storage (GCS). You set destination URI, format, delimiter, header option, and compression. BigQuery parallelizes the write, so multiple files may be produced.

Basic syntax example

EXPORT DATA OPTIONS(uri='gs://bucket/path/file_*.csv', format='CSV') AS SELECT * FROM dataset.Customers;

How do I export only certain columns?

Select the needed columns inside the SELECT clause. BigQuery writes only those columns, in the order listed.

Can I automate daily exports?

Create a scheduled query in BigQuery. Paste your EXPORT DATA statement, choose a schedule (e.g., daily 02:00 UTC), and ensure the scheduler’s service account has storage.objects.create permission on the bucket.

Best practices for large tables

  • Partition tables and export each partition to cut scan cost.
  • Use compression='GZIP' to shrink files.
  • Include a wildcard (*) in the URI to enable multishard writes.

Common mistakes and quick fixes

Missing bucket permissions: Grant BigQuery’s service account roles/storage.objectAdmin or finer-grained write rights.
No wildcard in URI: Without *, exports larger than 1 GB fail. Add file_*.csv.

Why How to export table BigQuery to csv in PostgreSQL is important

How to export table BigQuery to csv in PostgreSQL Example Usage


EXPORT DATA
  OPTIONS (
    uri='gs://my-report-bucket/customers_*.csv',
    format='CSV',
    header=true,
    overwrite=true,
    compression='GZIP'
  )
AS
SELECT id,
       name,
       email,
       created_at
FROM ecommerce.Customers
WHERE created_at >= DATE_SUB(CURRENT_DATE(), INTERVAL 30 DAY);

How to export table BigQuery to csv in PostgreSQL Syntax


EXPORT DATA
  OPTIONS (
    uri='gs://bucket/path/file_*.csv',
    format='CSV',            -- CSV | JSON | AVRO | PARQUET
    overwrite=true,          -- overwrite existing objects
    header=true,             -- include column names on first line
    field_delimiter=',',     -- default ,
    quote='"',              -- default "
    escape='\\',            -- default \\ 
    compression='GZIP'       -- GZIP | NONE
  )
AS
SELECT *
FROM dataset.Customers;

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does EXPORT DATA lock the table?

No. BigQuery uses a consistent snapshot, so concurrent queries and writes continue unaffected.

How many files will be created?

BigQuery generates as many shards as needed for performance. Capture them with a wildcard and combine later if required.

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