Mysql INSERT INTO table VALUES.. vs INSERT INTO table SET

Performance insights

Efficiency measures regarding INSERT INTO ... VALUES and INSERT INTO ... SET are practically identical, both are used for inserting rows with different sugarcoating.

Pro-tip: Use large, single inserts for multiple rows to reduce network traffic and augment index caching, enhancing performance.

Code readability and maintenance

The selection between VALUES and SET syntax may hinge on readability and ease of management. Inserting data into a table packed with columns can be clearer with the SET syntax.

Use case: The SET syntax is handy when column values are dynamically generated where the columns' order is unknown.

Code portability

To ensure your code's portability across different SQL databases, consider using the INSERT INTO... VALUES because it adheres to the standard SQL. No database will leave you hanging if you use it.

Note to self: INSERT INTO ... SET won't work outside the MySQL world.

Inserting from another table

Here's a plot twist, let's look at INSERT ... SELECT, which allows you to insert rows from another table, perfect for duplicating data or keeping backups of tables.

Example:

INSERT INTO new_table (col1, col2)
SELECT col1, col2
FROM existing_table
WHERE condition; -- "Trust me, I'm not like the other two. I'm exotic."
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Cool fact: This can be a very powerful tool for aggregate data operations.

Advanced usage and optimizations

For bulk insert optimizations, you can adjust MySQL server settings like bulk_insert_buffer_size, innodb_autoinc_lock_mode, or innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit for significant performance gains.

Pro tip: For error handling, MySQL gracefully handles cases like duplicate entries or data type mismatches. For SQL injections, use prepared statements or parameterized queries.

Example:

INSERT INTO table_name (id, col1) VALUES(1, 'data')
ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE col1 = 'data'; -- "Oh duplicates! I eat 'em for breakfast!"
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