The SQL UPDATE statement allows you to update an existing record in the database.
The UPDATE command uses a WHERE clause. If you don’t use a WHERE clause, all rows will be updated. In fact, the syntax for a basic UPDATE statement is very similar to a SELECT statement.
SQL statement
UPDATE Individual SET UserName = 'funnyman' WHERE IndividualId = '6'
Source Table
| IndividualId | FirstName | LastName | UserName |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fred | Flinstone | freddo |
| 2 | Homer | Simpson | homey |
| 3 | Homer | Brown | notsofamous |
| 4 | Ozzy | Ozzbourne | sabbath |
| 5 | Homer | Gain | noplacelike |
| 6 | Benny | Hill | hillbenny |
Result
Now if we select this record, we can see the updated value.
| IndividualId | FirstName | LastName | UserName |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Benny | Hill | funnyman |
Updating Multiple Fields
To update multiple fields, separate each field assignment with a comma.
SQL statement
UPDATE Individual SET UserName = 'getserious', FirstName = 'Onetree' WHERE IndividualId = '6'
Result
| IndividualId | FirstName | LastName | UserName |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Onetree | Hill | getserious |
