How Can I Efficiently Insert Multiple Rows into MySQL?

Efficient Insertion of Multiple Rows in MySQL

When inserting large quantities of data into a database, time efficiency becomes crucial. It is often desirable to insert multiple rows simultaneously rather than performing separate queries for each row. This approach can significantly improve performance.

Using VALUES Syntax

In MySQL, the INSERT statement supports the use of the VALUES syntax to insert multiple rows at once. This is accomplished by specifying multiple sets of values within parentheses, separated by commas.

Syntax:

INSERT INTO table_name (column1, column2, ..., columnN)
VALUES (value1_1, value1_2, ..., value1_N),
       (value2_1, value2_2, ..., value2_N),
       ...
       (valueM_1, valueM_2, ..., valueM_N);

Example:

INSERT INTO users (name, email, age)
VALUES
    ('John Doe', 'johndoe@example.com', 30),
    ('Jane Smith', 'janesmith@example.com', 25),
    ('Mark Johnson', 'markjohnson@example.com', 40);

Performance Considerations

Inserting multiple rows using the VALUES syntax is generally faster than executing individual INSERT statements for each row. This is because each query involves fewer server-side round trips.

Limitations

However, there are limitations to using the VALUES syntax:

• The number of rows that can be inserted in a single query is determined by the system's maximum packet size.
• If any of the values in a row contain special characters or are escaped, the corresponding column must be enclosed in single or double quotes.

Alternative Methods

In cases where the VALUES syntax is not suitable, alternative methods for inserting multiple rows include:

• Using INSERT ... SELECT
• Using the LOAD DATA INFILE statement
• Using an ORM framework

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