MySQL INSERT

How it works

INSERT adds rows to a table. An explicit column list prevents a schema-order assumption from becoming an application bug. Supply required values, omit intentionally generated or defaulted fields and check the operation’s outcome through the client API. This example inserts one part into an existing depot, then reads it by its generated ID. It starts from a fresh seed, so later examples are not affected by this added row.

Run in a disposable MySQL lab

Use Oracle MySQL 8.4 with InnoDB, not Bhylu’s SQLite playground. The examples were reviewed on MySQL 8.4.8. XAMPP may provide MariaDB, which has different feature and collation behaviour. Check your actual server before running the script. These lessons do not require a change to Bhylu’s PHP, Apache or normal database service.

1. On a separate lab instance, create the empty bhylu_mysql_lab schema. Stop if it already exists; do not overwrite an existing database.
2. Select that schema and import the complete repair-parts seed once. It sets the documented session mode, utf8mb4 collation, UTC and English date-name locale.
3. Run this lesson in a fresh copy of the seed, not after another lesson’s writes. Use the command-line client or a compatible editor. DELIMITER lines are client instructions for stored-program examples.

Download this complete lesson script. Its setup is the linked seed; review the dataset before changing it. Administrative and destructive examples are restricted to the specifically named disposable objects. Every script repeats the session settings because each new connection has its own session. No MySQL browser runner is currently available.

Example

SET NAMES utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_0900_ai_ci;
SET SESSION sql_mode = 'STRICT_TRANS_TABLES,ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY,ERROR_FOR_DIVISION_BY_ZERO,NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION';
SET SESSION time_zone = '+00:00';
SET SESSION lc_time_names = 'en_US';
INSERT INTO parts (depot_id,name,category,quantity,unit_cost,arrived_on)
VALUES (3,'Felt pad','fabric',8,1.10,'2026-02-14');
SELECT name, quantity FROM parts WHERE id = LAST_INSERT_ID();

Expected result

Felt pad | 8

The foreign key validates depot three and the quantity constraint accepts eight. An insert with missing required data should be handled as a failure, not coerced into a fake valid record. Applications should bind values rather than construct SQL text with them. For imported batches, decide how duplicates and partially invalid input are handled before running the write.