Sql Server: How to copy a table?

This is the simplest way to copy a table into another (new) table in the same SQL Server database. This way of copying does not copy constraints and indexes.

select * into <destination table> from <source table>

Example:
Select * into employee_backup from employee

We can also select only a few columns into the destination table like below

select col1, col2, col3 into <destination table>
from <source table>

Example:
Select empId, empFirstName, empLastName, emgAge into employee_backup
from employee

Use this to copy only the structure of the source table.

select * into <destination table> from <source table> where 1 = 2

Example:
select * into employee_backup from employee where 1=2

Use this to copy a table across two database in the same Sql Server.

select * into <destination database.dbo.destination table>
from <source database.dbo.source table>

Example:
select * into Mydatabase2.dbo.employee_backup
from mydatabase1.dbo.employee

Any one of the following methods can be employed to copy a table into a destination database on a different SQL Server.

1. Data Transformation Service (DTS) – SQL Server 2000.
2. SQL Server Integration Service (SSIS) – SQL Server 2005
3. SQL Server “Export Data” task. – SQL Server 2000/2005
4. Create a linked Server of the destination SQL Server on the source SQL Server and then copy the table. – SQL Server 2000/ 2005.
5. We can also use sp_generate_inserts to generate data insertion scripts and then run the insert scripts.
6. I almost forgot this 😉 you can open the source table , select the row(s), copy (ctrl + C) the row(s), open the destination table and then paste (ctrl + V) the row(s).

Update: 3/27/2013: Check out my other post on how to copy a large table.