PHP MySQL: Insert Data Into a Table

Inserting data into a MySQL database using PHP involves executing an SQL INSERT INTO statement. This allows you to add new records to a specified table.

Syntax for SQL INSERT

INSERT INTO table_name (column1, column2, column3, ...)
VALUES (value1, value2, value3, ...);

table_name: The name of the table where data will be inserted.
column1, column2, ...: The columns in which the values will be inserted.
value1, value2, ...: The corresponding values to insert.

Code Example: Insert Data

1. Establish a Database Connection

<?php
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "root";
$password = "";
$dbname = "example_db";

// Create connection
$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);

// Check connection
if ($conn->connect_error) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
}
?>

2. Execute an SQL `INSERT INTO` Query

Insert a new record into the users table:

<?php
$sql = "INSERT INTO users (name, email, age) VALUES ('John Doe', 'john.doe@example.com', 30)";

if ($conn->query($sql) === TRUE) {
    echo "New record created successfully";
} else {
    echo "Error: " . $sql . "<br>" . $conn->error;
}
?>

Using Prepared Statements

Prepared statements are more secure and protect against SQL injection, especially when inserting user inputs.

<?php
$stmt = $conn->prepare("INSERT INTO users (name, email, age) VALUES (?, ?, ?)");
$stmt->bind_param("ssi", $name, $email, $age);

// Set parameters and execute
$name = "Jane Smith";
$email = "jane.smith@example.com";
$age = 25;

if ($stmt->execute()) {
    echo "New record created successfully";
} else {
    echo "Error: " . $stmt->error;
}

// Close statement and connection
$stmt->close();
$conn->close();
?>

Insert Multiple Records

You can insert multiple records in a single query by separating each set of values with a comma:

<?php
$sql = "INSERT INTO users (name, email, age) VALUES 
        ('Alice Brown', 'alice.brown@example.com', 22), 
        ('Bob Green', 'bob.green@example.com', 29)";

if ($conn->query($sql) === TRUE) {
    echo "Multiple records inserted successfully";
} else {
    echo "Error: " . $sql . "<br>" . $conn->error;
}
?>

Fetch the Last Inserted ID

To retrieve the ID of the last inserted record (for tables with an AUTO_INCREMENT column):

<?php
$sql = "INSERT INTO users (name, email, age) VALUES ('Emily White', 'emily.white@example.com', 35)";
if ($conn->query($sql) === TRUE) {
    echo "New record created successfully. Last inserted ID is: " . $conn->insert_id;
} else {
    echo "Error: " . $sql . "<br>" . $conn->error;
}
?>

Complete Example

<?php
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "root";
$password = "";
$dbname = "example_db";

// Create connection
$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);

// Check connection
if ($conn->connect_error) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
}

// Insert query
$sql = "INSERT INTO users (name, email, age) VALUES ('David Black', 'david.black@example.com', 40)";
if ($conn->query($sql) === TRUE) {
    echo "New record created successfully. Last inserted ID is: " . $conn->insert_id;
} else {
    echo "Error: " . $sql . "<br>" . $conn->error;
}

// Close connection
$conn->close();
?>

Key Notes

Escape User Input: Use prepared statements or mysqli_real_escape_string to prevent SQL injection.
Handle Errors: Always handle errors to debug issues effectively.
Check for Required Fields: Ensure all required columns have values to avoid SQL errors.
Use AUTO_INCREMENT: Use an AUTO_INCREMENT column for unique IDs if needed.
Backup Data: Regularly back up your database to avoid data loss during updates.

Let me know if you need more examples or advanced usage!

Souy Soeng

PHP MySQL: Insert Data Into a Table