The SQL UPDATE statement is a powerful tool for modifying existing records in a database table. It allows you to change the values of one or more columns in selected rows, providing a flexible way to maintain and update your data.
The general syntax of the SQL UPDATE statement is as follows:
UPDATE table_name
SET column1 = value1, column2 = value2, ...
WHERE condition;
Let's break down the components:
Let's say we want to update the salary of an employee named John Doe:
UPDATE employees
SET salary = 55000
WHERE first_name = 'John' AND last_name = 'Doe';
Now, let's update both the salary and the department for an employee:
UPDATE employees
SET salary = 60000, department = 'Marketing'
WHERE employee_id = 1001;
The UPDATE statement is part of the Data Manipulation Language (DML) in SQL. It's crucial to understand its impact on your database:
To fully leverage the power of SQL data manipulation, consider exploring these related topics:
By mastering the UPDATE statement along with other SQL commands, you'll be well-equipped to manage your database efficiently and keep your data up-to-date.