RETURNING
AdvancedReturns data from rows affected by INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE (PostgreSQL).
Syntax
INSERT|UPDATE|DELETE ... RETURNING cols
Example
INSERT INTO users (name, email)
VALUES ('Bob', '[email protected]')
RETURNING id, created_at;
DELETE FROM sessions
WHERE expires_at < NOW()
RETURNING user_id;About SQL RETURNING
The RETURNING keyword belongs to the Advanced category of SQL statements. Returns data from rows affected by INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE (PostgreSQL). Understanding this command is essential for any developer working with relational databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, or SQL Server.
SQL (Structured Query Language) is the standard language for managing and querying relational databases. The RETURNING statement is supported across all major database systems, though specific syntax may vary slightly between PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, Oracle, SQL Server, and SQLite. Always consult your database's documentation for vendor-specific features and limitations.
Best practices for using RETURNING: always test queries on a development database before running them in production, use parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection, and leverage EXPLAIN to understand query performance. For complex queries, consider using CTEs (Common Table Expressions) to improve readability and maintainability.