Learning MySQL and MariaDB

Chapter 6. Inserting Data

After you have created a database and tables, the next step is to insert data. I’m intentionally using the word insert because the most common and basic way to enter data into a table is with the SQL statement INSERT. It’s easier to learn the language of MySQL and MariaDB, if you use the keywords to describe what you are doing. In this chapter, we will cover the INSERT statement, its different syntax, and many of its options. We’ll use the tables that we created in Chapter 4 and altered in Chapter 5. We’ll also look at some related statements on retrieving or selecting data, but they will be covered in greater detail in Chapter 7.

When going through this chapter, participate. When examples are given showing the INSERT statement and other SQL statements, try entering them on your server using the mysql client. At the end of the chapter are some exercises—do them. They require you to enter data in the tables that you created in Chapter 4. In doing the exercises, you may have to refer back to the examples in this chapter and in Chapter 4. This will help to reinforce what you’ve read. When you’re done, you should feel comfortable entering data in MySQL and MariaDB.

The Syntax

The INSERT statement adds rows of data into a table. It can add a single row or multiple rows at a time. The basic syntax of this SQL statement is:

INSERT INTO table [(column, …)]
  VALUES (value, …), (…), …;

The keywords INSERT INTO are followed by the name of the table and an optional list ...