INSERT INTO multiple rows in SQL - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does the SQL command INSERT INTO do?

It adds new rows (records) into a table in the database.

beginner

How do you insert multiple rows in one SQL statement?

Use INSERT INTO table_name (columns) VALUES (row1), (row2), (row3); listing each row's values separated by commas.

intermediate

Why is inserting multiple rows at once better than inserting one row at a time?

It is faster and uses fewer resources because the database processes one command instead of many.

beginner

Write an example SQL query to insert two rows into a table named students with columns id and name.

INSERT INTO students (id, name) VALUES (1, 'Alice'), (2, 'Bob');

intermediate

What happens if you try to insert rows with duplicate primary keys using INSERT INTO multiple rows?

The database will return an error and will not insert any of the rows unless you handle duplicates with special clauses.

Which SQL syntax correctly inserts multiple rows into a table named products?

A INSERT INTO products (id, name) VALUES (1, 'Pen'), (2, 'Pencil');

B INSERT INTO products (id, name) VALUES (1, 'Pen'); INSERT INTO products (id, name) VALUES (2, 'Pencil');

C INSERT MULTIPLE INTO products VALUES (1, 'Pen'), (2, 'Pencil');

D INSERT INTO products VALUES (1, 'Pen') AND (2, 'Pencil');

Option A uses the correct syntax to insert multiple rows in one statement.

What separates each row's values in a multi-row INSERT statement?

A Semicolon (;)

B Comma (,)

C Period (.)

D Colon (:)

Each row's values are separated by commas in the VALUES clause.

If you want to insert three rows into a table, how many times do you write the column names in the INSERT statement?

A Once

B Zero times

C Twice

D Three times

You write the column names only once before the VALUES list.

What will happen if one row in a multi-row INSERT violates a constraint (like a duplicate primary key)?

A All rows are inserted except the bad one

B The database ignores the error and continues

C Only the first row is inserted

D No rows are inserted and an error is returned

The entire statement fails and no rows are inserted unless handled explicitly.

Which of these is a benefit of inserting multiple rows at once?

A Slower performance

B More network traffic

C Less resource usage

D More complex syntax

Inserting multiple rows at once reduces resource usage and improves performance.

Explain how to insert multiple rows into a SQL table in one command.

Think about how you add many items to a list in one go.

What are the advantages and possible errors when using multi-row INSERT statements?

Consider speed and error handling.