# System Virtual Tables

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/llms.txt). Component-specific: [cloud-data-platform-full.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform-full.txt)

---
title: System Virtual Tables
latest-operator-version: v26.1.4
latest-console-tag: v3.7.3
latest-connect-version: 4.93.0
latest-redpanda-tag: v26.1.9
docname: sql/system-virtual-tables
page-component-name: cloud-data-platform
page-version: master
page-component-version: master
page-component-title: Cloud
page-relative-src-path: sql/system-virtual-tables.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/cloud-docs/edit/main/modules/reference/pages/sql/system-virtual-tables.adoc
description: System virtual tables in Redpanda SQL expose cluster runtime information and external-source metadata, providing SQL-queryable alternatives to SHOW statements.
page-topic-type: reference
page-git-created-date: "2026-05-26"
page-git-modified-date: "2026-05-26"
---

<!-- Source: https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/sql/system-virtual-tables.md -->

System virtual tables in the `system` schema expose cluster runtime information and external-source metadata. They provide SQL-queryable alternatives to `SHOW` statements, with support for `WHERE`, `ORDER BY`, and `LIMIT` clauses.

> 📝 **NOTE**
>
> System virtual tables filter rows by the caller’s privileges. Cluster runtime tables (`system.nodes`, `system.queries`, `system.execs`) are visible only to a superuser. Tables that expose catalog and connection metadata filter rows by the caller’s grants on the database, namespace (also called schema), and metadata.

## [](#available-tables)Available tables

| Table | Equivalent statement | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| system.catalogs | SHOW CATALOGS | All catalogs (both Redpanda and Iceberg) visible to the caller. |
| system.iceberg_catalogs | SHOW ICEBERG CATALOGS | Iceberg catalogs with their REST endpoint, warehouse, and authentication type. |
| system.iceberg_tables | SHOW ICEBERG TABLES | Iceberg tables whose schema has been loaded into the local catalog. |
| system.kafka_connections | SHOW REDPANDA/KAFKA CATALOGS | Redpanda catalog connections, including any linked Iceberg catalog. |
| system.kafka_sources | SHOW REDPANDA/KAFKA TABLES | Tables mapped to Redpanda topics through a Redpanda catalog. |
| system.nodes | SHOW NODES | Current state of all nodes in the cluster. |
| system.queries | SHOW QUERIES | Currently running queries. |
| system.execs | SHOW EXECS | Currently running execution tasks. |

## [](#system-catalogs)system.catalogs

All catalogs in the cluster (both Redpanda and Iceberg), across databases and schemas visible to the caller.

| Column | Type | Nullable | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| name | text | No | Catalog name. |
| namespace_name | text | No | Schema containing the catalog. |
| type | text | No | Catalog type: REDPANDA or ICEBERG. |

```sql
SELECT * FROM system.catalogs;
```

For per-catalog detail, query `system.iceberg_catalogs` or `system.kafka_connections`.

## [](#system-iceberg_catalogs)system.iceberg_catalogs

Iceberg catalog connections, with their REST endpoint and authentication details.

| Column | Type | Nullable | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| name | text | No | Iceberg catalog name. |
| uri | text | No | REST catalog endpoint URI. |
| warehouse | text | No | Iceberg warehouse identifier or location. |
| auth_type | text | No | Authentication type for the REST catalog. One of oauth2, basic, aws_sigv4, or empty if the catalog connects without authentication. |
| namespace_name | text | No | Schema containing the catalog. |
| database_name | text | No | Database containing the catalog. |

```sql
SELECT name, uri, auth_type FROM system.iceberg_catalogs;
```

## [](#system-iceberg_tables)system.iceberg_tables

Iceberg tables whose schema has been loaded into the local catalog. Schemas are loaded by an explicit `REFRESH` statement or auto-loaded when you `CREATE TABLE` against an Iceberg catalog. See [Query Iceberg-enabled Topics](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/sql/query-data/query-iceberg-topics/) for details on when to refresh. Each row represents one root Iceberg table.

| Column | Type | Nullable | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| database_name | text | No | Database containing the registered table. |
| namespace_name | text | No | Schema containing the registered table. |
| catalog_name | text | No | Iceberg catalog the table belongs to. |
| name | text | No | Qualified Iceberg table path (for example, ns1.ns2.tbl). |
| oid | int | No | Object identifier of the table type. Joinable with pg_type.oid. |

> 📝 **NOTE**
>
> Stale entries: dropping an Iceberg table from the REST catalog leaves its registration in the Redpanda SQL catalog until you drop it explicitly. The view continues to list it. This mirrors `system.kafka_sources` behavior.

```sql
SELECT * FROM system.iceberg_tables WHERE catalog_name = 'lakehouse_catalog';
```

## [](#system-kafka_connections)system.kafka_connections

Redpanda catalog connections, including any linked Iceberg catalog for queries that span live records and Iceberg-translated history. For details on linking and Iceberg-translated history, see [ALTER REDPANDA CATALOG](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/sql/sql-statements/alter-redpanda-catalog/).

| Column | Type | Nullable | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| database_name | text | No | Database containing the connection. |
| namespace_name | text | No | Schema containing the connection. |
| name | text | No | Catalog (connection) name. |
| options | text | No | Connection options as a comma-separated string of key: value pairs. Includes broker addresses, Kafka timeout, Schema Registry endpoint, Schema Registry timeout, and a nested librdkafka configuration list in [key=value, …​] form. Pandaproxy options are included when configured. |
| iceberg_catalog | text | Yes | Linked Iceberg catalog as schema.name, or NULL if no link is configured. Returns NULL when the caller doesn’t have CONNECT on the linked catalog’s database and USAGE on its schema (or an ANY grant on the metadata). |

```sql
SELECT name, iceberg_catalog FROM system.kafka_connections;
```

## [](#system-kafka_sources)system.kafka_sources

Tables mapped to Redpanda topics through a Redpanda catalog. One row per `CREATE TABLE catalog⇒name WITH (…​)` mapping.

| Column | Type | Nullable | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| database_name | text | No | Database containing the source table. |
| namespace_name | text | No | Schema containing the source table. |
| name | text | No | Table name. |
| connection_name | text | No | Redpanda catalog (connection) the table belongs to. |
| topic_name | text | No | Source topic name. |
| subject_name | text | No | Schema Registry subject name. Empty if not configured. |
| lookup_policy | text | No | Schema lookup policy. See CREATE TABLE. |
| error_handling_policy | text | No | Deserialization error-handling policy. See CREATE TABLE. |
| struct_mapping_policy | text | No | Nested-struct mapping policy. See CREATE TABLE. |
| output_schema_full_message_name | text | No | Full Protobuf message name. Empty if not configured. |

```sql
SELECT name, topic_name, subject_name FROM system.kafka_sources
WHERE connection_name = 'production_redpanda';
```

## [](#system-nodes)system.nodes

Current state of each node in the cluster. Visible only to a superuser. For the column reference, see [SHOW NODES](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/sql/sql-statements/show-nodes/).

```sql
SELECT * FROM system.nodes;
```

## [](#system-queries)system.queries

Currently running queries on the cluster. Visible only to a superuser.

| Column | Type | Nullable | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| qid | text | No | Query identifier. |
| requester | text | No | Identifier of the node that received the query from the client. |
| scheduler | text | No | Identifier of the node scheduling the query’s execution tasks. |
| workers | bigint | No | Number of worker tasks assigned to the query. |
| state | text | No | Current state of the query. |
| created | timestamp | No | Time the query was received. |
| accepted | timestamp | Yes | Time the query was accepted for execution. NULL until accepted. |
| scheduled | timestamp | Yes | Time the query’s execution tasks were scheduled. NULL until scheduled. |
| executed | timestamp | Yes | Time execution started. NULL until execution starts. |
| finished | timestamp | Yes | Time execution finished. NULL while the query is still running. |

```sql
SELECT qid, state, created FROM system.queries WHERE state <> 'FINISHED';
```

## [](#system-execs)system.execs

Currently running execution tasks across the cluster. Visible only to a superuser. Each query in `system.queries` typically corresponds to one or more rows in this table.

| Column | Type | Nullable | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| node | text | No | Node executing the task. |
| qid | text | No | Identifier of the parent query. Join with system.queries.qid. |
| data_task_id | bigint | Yes | Identifier of the data task within the query. |
| state | text | No | Current state of the execution task. |
| memory | bigint | No | Memory consumed by the task, in bytes. |
| privileged | boolean | No | TRUE if the task runs with privileged access. |

```sql
SELECT node, qid, state, memory FROM system.execs ORDER BY memory DESC;
```