**Course Title:** SQLite Mastery: Lightweight Database Management **Section Title:** Inserting, Updating, and Deleting Data **Topic:** Inserting new data into tables (INSERT INTO) **Introduction** In the previous sections, we've covered the basics of SQLite and data retrieval. Now, it's time to explore how to modify your database by inserting, updating, and deleting data. In this topic, we'll focus on inserting new data into tables using the INSERT INTO statement. By the end of this topic, you'll be able to add new records to your database and understand the best practices for doing so. **What is INSERT INTO?** The INSERT INTO statement is used to add new records to a table. It's a fundamental aspect of database management, as it allows you to populate your database with data that you can later retrieve, manipulate, and analyze. **Basic Syntax** The basic syntax of INSERT INTO is as follows: ```sql INSERT INTO table_name (column1, column2, column3, ...) VALUES (value1, value2, value3, ...); ``` In this syntax: * `table_name` is the name of the table where you want to insert the data. * `column1`, `column2`, and `column3` are the names of the columns where you want to insert the data. You can specify as many columns as needed, but be sure to separate them with commas. * `value1`, `value2`, and `value3` are the actual values you want to insert into the respective columns. **Example** Suppose we have a table called `employees` with the following columns: `id`, `name`, `department`, and `salary`. To insert a new employee into the table, we would use the following statement: ```sql INSERT INTO employees (id, name, department, salary) VALUES (1, 'John Doe', 'Sales', 50000); ``` This would insert a new record into the `employees` table with the specified values. **Default Values** When specifying columns, you don't have to include all columns in the `INSERT INTO` statement. If you omit a column, SQLite will use the default value specified in the table definition or NULL if no default value is specified. For example, if our `employees` table has a default value of 'Unknown' for the `department` column, we can insert a new employee without specifying the department: ```sql INSERT INTO employees (id, name, salary) VALUES (2, 'Jane Doe', 60000); ``` In this case, SQLite would insert the default value 'Unknown' into the `department` column. **Multiple Values** You can also insert multiple values into a table in a single statement by separating the value sets with commas: ```sql INSERT INTO employees (id, name, department, salary) VALUES (1, 'John Doe', 'Sales', 50000), (2, 'Jane Doe', 'Marketing', 60000), (3, 'Bob Smith', 'IT', 70000); ``` This statement would insert three new records into the `employees` table. **Primary Key and Autoincrement** If your table has an autoincrementing primary key, you can omit the primary key column from the `INSERT INTO` statement. SQLite will automatically assign the next available ID value. For example, if our `employees` table has an autoincrementing primary key `id`, we can insert a new employee without specifying the ID: ```sql INSERT INTO employees (name, department, salary) VALUES ('John Doe', 'Sales', 50000); ``` In this case, SQLite would assign the next available ID value to the new employee. **Best Practices** * Always specify the column names in the `INSERT INTO` statement to avoid ambiguity and ensure data integrity. * Use default values judiciously to reduce the amount of data that needs to be inserted. * Consider using autoincrementing primary keys to simplify data insertion and management. * Use multiple value sets to insert large amounts of data in a single statement. **Practical Exercise** Create a new table called `students` with the following columns: `id`, `name`, `age`, and `major`. Insert five new students into the table using the `INSERT INTO` statement. Experiment with default values and autoincrementing primary keys. **Conclusion** In this topic, we've covered the basics of inserting new data into tables using the `INSERT INTO` statement. We've explored the syntax, examples, and best practices for using this statement. By mastering the `INSERT INTO` statement, you'll be able to populate your database with data that you can later retrieve, manipulate, and analyze. **Leave a Comment/Ask for Help** If you have any questions or need further clarification on any of the topics covered in this section, please leave a comment below. We'll do our best to respond and provide additional guidance. **External Resources** * SQLite Documentation: [INSERT INTO](https://www.sqlite.org/lang_insert.html) * W3Schools: [SQL INSERT INTO](https://www.w3schools.com/sql/sql_insert.asp) **What's Next?** In the next topic, we'll explore how to update existing records using the UPDATE statement. Stay tuned!