Fastest way to copy a table in mysql?

Question

I want to copy a table in MySQL. What is the fastest way? Like this?

CREATE TABLE copy LIKE original; INSERT INTO copy SELECT * FROM original; 

or

CREATE TABLE copy SELECT * FROM original; ALTER TABLE copy ADD PRIMARY KEY (id); 

or is there another way?

EDIT: I'm worried about the indexes being re-created, how does mysql proceed executing these statements?

PS. can't use command-line tools like mysqldump, must be on-the-fly.

Answer 1

This copies the structure of the table immediately, but not the data:

CREATE TABLE copy LIKE original; 

This creates all the indexes the original table had.

It works this way in mysql 5.1.39.

Answer 2

The fastest way using MyISAM tables while preserving indexes) and maybe other storage engines is:

CREATE TABLE copy LIKE original; ALTER TABLE copy DISABLE KEYS; INSERT INTO copy SELECT * FROM original; ALTER TABLE copy ENABLE KEYS; 

You want to disable your keys for your database load and then recreate the keys at the end.

Similarly, for InnoDB:

SET unique_checks=0; SET foreign_key_checks=0;  ..insert sql code here.. SET unique_checks=1; SET foreign_key_checks=1; 

(As pointed out in the comments.)