Determining common table definitions in distributed databases includes independently establishing, for a node in a distributed database, a common network definition for shared logical table names. Establishing the common network definition includes providing local definitions for at least one logical table, and querying at least one node in a network of nodes to determine any existing network definitions for the logical table. If there is no existing network definition, the method includes adding the local definition as a new network definition. If there is an existing network definition, the method includes updating the existing network definition with any extra columns of local definition, and applying an updated network definition to other nodes in the network holding a record of the network definition.