Specify nested and repeated columns in schema.

## Explore further


For detailed documentation that includes this code sample, see the following:

- [Specify nested and repeated columns in table schemas](https://docs.cloud.google.com/bigquery/docs/nested-repeated)

## Code sample

### Go


Before trying this sample, follow the Go setup instructions in the
[BigQuery quickstart using
client libraries](https://docs.cloud.google.com/bigquery/docs/quickstarts/quickstart-client-libraries).


For more information, see the
[BigQuery Go API
reference documentation](https://godoc.org/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery).


To authenticate to BigQuery, set up Application Default Credentials.
For more information, see

[Set up authentication for client libraries](https://docs.cloud.google.com/bigquery/docs/authentication#client-libs).

    import (
    	"context"
    	"fmt"
    	"io"

    	"cloud.google.com/go/bigquery"
    )

    // createTableComplexSchema demonstrates creating a BigQuery table and specifying a complex schema that includes
    // an array of Struct types.
    func createTableComplexSchema(w io.Writer, projectID, datasetID, tableID string) error {
    	// projectID := "my-project-id"
    	// datasetID := "mydatasetid"
    	// tableID := "mytableid"
    	ctx := context.Background()

    	client, err := bigquery.NewClient(ctx, projectID)
    	if err != nil {
    		return fmt.Errorf("bigquery.NewClient: %w", err)
    	}
    	defer client.Close()

    	sampleSchema := bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_Schema{
    		{Name: "id", Type: bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_StringFieldType_BytesFieldType_IntegerFieldType_FloatFieldType_BooleanFieldType_TimestampFieldType_RecordFieldType_DateFieldType_TimeFieldType_DateTimeFieldType_NumericFieldType_GeographyFieldType_BigNumericFieldType_IntervalFieldType_JSONFieldType_RangeFieldType},
    		{Name: "first_name", Type: bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_StringFieldType_BytesFieldType_IntegerFieldType_FloatFieldType_BooleanFieldType_TimestampFieldType_RecordFieldType_DateFieldType_TimeFieldType_DateTimeFieldType_NumericFieldType_GeographyFieldType_BigNumericFieldType_IntervalFieldType_JSONFieldType_RangeFieldType},
    		{Name: "last_name", Type: bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_StringFieldType_BytesFieldType_IntegerFieldType_FloatFieldType_BooleanFieldType_TimestampFieldType_RecordFieldType_DateFieldType_TimeFieldType_DateTimeFieldType_NumericFieldType_GeographyFieldType_BigNumericFieldType_IntervalFieldType_JSONFieldType_RangeFieldType},
    		{Name: "dob", Type: bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_StringFieldType_BytesFieldType_IntegerFieldType_FloatFieldType_BooleanFieldType_TimestampFieldType_RecordFieldType_DateFieldType_TimeFieldType_DateTimeFieldType_NumericFieldType_GeographyFieldType_BigNumericFieldType_IntervalFieldType_JSONFieldType_RangeFieldType},
    		{Name: "addresses",
    			Type:     bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_StringFieldType_BytesFieldType_IntegerFieldType_FloatFieldType_BooleanFieldType_TimestampFieldType_RecordFieldType_DateFieldType_TimeFieldType_DateTimeFieldType_NumericFieldType_GeographyFieldType_BigNumericFieldType_IntervalFieldType_JSONFieldType_RangeFieldType,
    			Repeated: true,
    			Schema: bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_Schema{
    				{Name: "status", Type: bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_StringFieldType_BytesFieldType_IntegerFieldType_FloatFieldType_BooleanFieldType_TimestampFieldType_RecordFieldType_DateFieldType_TimeFieldType_DateTimeFieldType_NumericFieldType_GeographyFieldType_BigNumericFieldType_IntervalFieldType_JSONFieldType_RangeFieldType},
    				{Name: "address", Type: bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_StringFieldType_BytesFieldType_IntegerFieldType_FloatFieldType_BooleanFieldType_TimestampFieldType_RecordFieldType_DateFieldType_TimeFieldType_DateTimeFieldType_NumericFieldType_GeographyFieldType_BigNumericFieldType_IntervalFieldType_JSONFieldType_RangeFieldType},
    				{Name: "city", Type: bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_StringFieldType_BytesFieldType_IntegerFieldType_FloatFieldType_BooleanFieldType_TimestampFieldType_RecordFieldType_DateFieldType_TimeFieldType_DateTimeFieldType_NumericFieldType_GeographyFieldType_BigNumericFieldType_IntervalFieldType_JSONFieldType_RangeFieldType},
    				{Name: "state", Type: bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_StringFieldType_BytesFieldType_IntegerFieldType_FloatFieldType_BooleanFieldType_TimestampFieldType_RecordFieldType_DateFieldType_TimeFieldType_DateTimeFieldType_NumericFieldType_GeographyFieldType_BigNumericFieldType_IntervalFieldType_JSONFieldType_RangeFieldType},
    				{Name: "zip", Type: bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_StringFieldType_BytesFieldType_IntegerFieldType_FloatFieldType_BooleanFieldType_TimestampFieldType_RecordFieldType_DateFieldType_TimeFieldType_DateTimeFieldType_NumericFieldType_GeographyFieldType_BigNumericFieldType_IntervalFieldType_JSONFieldType_RangeFieldType},
    				{Name: "numberOfYears", Type: bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_StringFieldType_BytesFieldType_IntegerFieldType_FloatFieldType_BooleanFieldType_TimestampFieldType_RecordFieldType_DateFieldType_TimeFieldType_DateTimeFieldType_NumericFieldType_GeographyFieldType_BigNumericFieldType_IntervalFieldType_JSONFieldType_RangeFieldType},
    			}},
    	}

    	metaData := &bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/go/docs/reference/cloud.google.com/go/bigquery/latest/index.html#cloud_google_com_go_bigquery_TableMetadata{
    		Schema: sampleSchema,
    	}
    	tableRef := client.Dataset(datasetID).Table(tableID)
    	if err := tableRef.Create(ctx, metaData); err != nil {
    		return err
    	}
    	fmt.Fprintf(w, "created table %s\n", tableRef.FullyQualifiedName())
    	return nil
    }

### Java


Before trying this sample, follow the Java setup instructions in the
[BigQuery quickstart using
client libraries](https://docs.cloud.google.com/bigquery/docs/quickstarts/quickstart-client-libraries).


For more information, see the
[BigQuery Java API
reference documentation](https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/overview).


To authenticate to BigQuery, set up Application Default Credentials.
For more information, see

[Set up authentication for client libraries](https://docs.cloud.google.com/bigquery/docs/authentication#client-libs).

    import com.google.cloud.bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.BigQuery.html;
    import com.google.cloud.bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.BigQueryException.html;
    import com.google.cloud.bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.BigQueryOptions.html;
    import com.google.cloud.bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Field.html;
    import com.google.cloud.bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Field.html.Mode;
    import com.google.cloud.bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Schema.html;
    import com.google.cloud.bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardSQLTypeName.html;
    import com.google.cloud.bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardTableDefinition.html;
    import com.google.cloud.bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.TableDefinition.html;
    import com.google.cloud.bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.TableId.html;
    import com.google.cloud.bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.TableInfo.html;

    public class NestedRepeatedSchema {

      public static void main(String[] args) {
        // TODO(developer): Replace these variables before running the sample.
        String datasetName = "MY_DATASET_NAME";
        String tableName = "MY_TABLE_NAME";
        createTableWithNestedRepeatedSchema(datasetName, tableName);
      }

      public static void createTableWithNestedRepeatedSchema(String datasetName, String tableName) {
        try {
          // Initialize client that will be used to send requests. This client only needs to be created
          // once, and can be reused for multiple requests.
          https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.BigQuery.html bigquery = https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.BigQueryOptions.html.getDefaultInstance().getService();

          https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.TableId.html tableId = https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.TableId.html.of(datasetName, tableName);

          https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Schema.html schema =
              https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Schema.html.of(
                  https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Field.html.of("id", https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardSQLTypeName.html.STRING),
                  https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Field.html.of("first_name", https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardSQLTypeName.html.STRING),
                  https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Field.html.of("last_name", https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardSQLTypeName.html.STRING),
                  https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Field.html.of("dob", https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardSQLTypeName.html.DATE),
                  // create the nested and repeated field
                  https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Field.html.newBuilder(
                          "addresses",
                          https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardSQLTypeName.html.STRUCT,
                          https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Field.html.of("status", https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardSQLTypeName.html.STRING),
                          https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Field.html.of("address", https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardSQLTypeName.html.STRING),
                          https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Field.html.of("city", https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardSQLTypeName.html.STRING),
                          https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Field.html.of("state", https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardSQLTypeName.html.STRING),
                          https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Field.html.of("zip", https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardSQLTypeName.html.STRING),
                          https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.Field.html.of("numberOfYears", https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardSQLTypeName.html.STRING))
                      .setMode(Mode.REPEATED)
                      .build());

          https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.TableDefinition.html tableDefinition = https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.StandardTableDefinition.html.of(schema);
          https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.TableInfo.html tableInfo = https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.TableInfo.html.newBuilder(tableId, tableDefinition).build();

          bigquery.https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.BigQuery.html#com_google_cloud_bigquery_BigQuery_create_com_google_cloud_bigquery_DatasetInfo_com_google_cloud_bigquery_BigQuery_DatasetOption____(tableInfo);
          System.out.println("Table with nested and repeated schema created successfully");
        } catch (https://docs.cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/google-cloud-bigquery/latest/com.google.cloud.bigquery.BigQueryException.html e) {
          System.out.println("Table was not created. \n" + e.toString());
        }
      }
    }

### Python


Before trying this sample, follow the Python setup instructions in the
[BigQuery quickstart using
client libraries](https://docs.cloud.google.com/bigquery/docs/quickstarts/quickstart-client-libraries).


For more information, see the
[BigQuery Python API
reference documentation](https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest).


To authenticate to BigQuery, set up Application Default Credentials.
For more information, see

[Set up authentication for client libraries](https://docs.cloud.google.com/bigquery/docs/authentication#client-libs).

    from google.cloud import https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest

    client = https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.client.Client.html()

    # TODO(dev): Change table_id to the full name of the table you want to create.
    table_id = "your-project.your_dataset.your_table_name"

    schema = [
        https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.schema.SchemaField.html("id", "STRING", mode="NULLABLE"),
        https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.schema.SchemaField.html("first_name", "STRING", mode="NULLABLE"),
        https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.schema.SchemaField.html("last_name", "STRING", mode="NULLABLE"),
        https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.schema.SchemaField.html("dob", "DATE", mode="NULLABLE"),
        https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.schema.SchemaField.html(
            "addresses",
            "RECORD",
            mode="REPEATED",
            fields=[
                https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.schema.SchemaField.html("status", "STRING", mode="NULLABLE"),
                https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.schema.SchemaField.html("address", "STRING", mode="NULLABLE"),
                https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.schema.SchemaField.html("city", "STRING", mode="NULLABLE"),
                https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.schema.SchemaField.html("state", "STRING", mode="NULLABLE"),
                https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.schema.SchemaField.html("zip", "STRING", mode="NULLABLE"),
                https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.schema.SchemaField.html("numberOfYears", "STRING", mode="NULLABLE"),
            ],
        ),
    ]
    table = https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.table.Table.html(table_id, schema=schema)
    table = client.https://docs.cloud.google.com/python/docs/reference/bigquery/latest/google.cloud.bigquery.client.Client.html#google_cloud_bigquery_client_Client_create_table(table)  # API request

    print(f"Created table {table.project}.{table.dataset_id}.{table.table_id}.")

## What's next


To search and filter code samples for other Google Cloud products, see the
[Google Cloud sample browser](https://docs.cloud.google.com/docs/samples?product=bigquery).