Choosing Between Insert Functions and Raw Queries: A Practical Guide
Tags: programming, database, sql, webdev
Published: 2024-03-13 21:41:26


### **Introduction**

When it comes to inserting data into a database, developers often face a crucial decision: should they use an **insert function** provided by an ORM (like Eloquent in Laravel) or directly execute a **raw SQL query**? In this blog post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of each approach and provide practical insights for making the right choice.

### **1. Understanding the Options**

We’ll start by diving into the two main options available:

1. **Insert Functions (E.g., Eloquent’s `create()`)**
    - What they are.
    - How they handle timestamps and other “magic.”
    - Examples using Laravel’s Eloquent.
2. **Raw SQL Queries (E.g., Query Builder’s `insert()`)**
    - Writing custom SQL statements.
    - Flexibility and control.
    - When to use them.

### **2. Pros and Cons**

Next, we’ll weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each approach:

- **Insert Functions:**
    - Pros:
        - Simplicity and readability.
        - Automatic handling of timestamps.
        - Object-oriented approach.
    - Cons:
        - Limited flexibility.
        - Less control over the query.
- **Raw SQL Queries:**
    - Pros:
        - Fine-grained control.
        - Ability to handle complex scenarios.
        - Efficient for bulk inserts.
    - Cons:
        - Manual query construction.
        - No automatic “magic.”

### **3. Bulk Inserts**

Since you mentioned that your inserts will always be in an array, we’ll discuss bulk inserts in detail. How to efficiently insert multiple rows at once and optimize performance.

### **4. Best Practices**

We’ll wrap up with some best practices:

- Consistent naming conventions.
- Parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection.
- Testing on a local or test database before production.

### **Conclusion**

By the end of this blog post, you’ll have a clear understanding of when to use insert functions and when to opt for raw queries. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions in your database operations.

Let’s explore the differences between creating an **insert function** and directly executing an **insert query** in the context of database operations.

1. **Insert Function**:
    - An **insert function** is typically associated with an **ORM (Object-Relational Mapping)** framework like **Eloquent** in Laravel or similar tools in other languages.
    - Here’s how they differ:
        - **Eloquent’s `create()`**:
            - **Purpose**: Used to create a new record (row) in a database table.
            - **Behavior**:
                - Automatically fills in fields like `created_at` and `updated_at` (if defined in the model).
                - Abstracts away the actual SQL query construction.
                - Provides a more object-oriented approach.
            - **Example** (Laravel Eloquent):
                
                ```php
                Product::create([
                    'name' => 'New Product',
                    'price' => 100,
                ]);
                
                ```
                
        - **Query Builder’s `insert()`**:
            - **Purpose**: Used to insert data directly into a table using raw SQL queries.
            - **Behavior**:
                - Requires you to construct the actual SQL query string.
                - Does not automatically handle timestamps or other Eloquent “magic.”
                - More flexible for complex scenarios.
            - **Example** (Laravel Query Builder):
                
                ```php
                DB::table('products')->insert([
                    'name' => 'New Product',
                    'price' => 100,
                ]);
                
                ```
                
2. **Insert Query**:
    - When you execute an **insert query**, you directly write the SQL statement to insert data into the table.
    - This approach is more low-level and gives you fine-grained control over the query.
    - You can use it for both single-row inserts and bulk inserts (arrays).
3. **Array Insert**:
    - If you’re always inserting multiple rows (an array of data), you can use the **bulk insert** feature.
    - This is efficient because it reduces the number of database transactions.
    - Both Eloquent and Query Builder allow you to insert multiple rows at once.

In summary:

- **Insert functions** (like Eloquent’s `create()`) provide a higher-level abstraction and handle some aspects (like timestamps) for you.
- **Direct queries** (like Query Builder’s `insert()`) give you more control but require manual SQL construction.
- For **array inserts**, both approaches can handle bulk inserts efficiently.

[For more details, refer to the Laravel Eloquent documentation 1](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/58411303/what-is-the-difference-between-create-and-insert-in-laravel) [and the Laravel Daily article on Eloquent vs. Query Builder2](https://laraveldaily.com/post/eloquent-create-query-builder-insert).

# more explanation

Certainly! Let’s explore the differences between creating an **insert function** and directly executing an **insert query** in the context of database operations.

1. **Insert Function**:
    - An **insert function** is typically associated with an **ORM (Object-Relational Mapping)** framework like **Eloquent** in Laravel or similar tools in other languages.
    - Here’s how they differ:
        - **Eloquent’s `create()`**:
            - **Purpose**: Used to create a new record (row) in a database table.
            - **Behavior**:
                - Automatically fills in fields like `created_at` and `updated_at` (if defined in the model).
                - Abstracts away the actual SQL query construction.
                - Provides a more object-oriented approach.
            - **Example** (Laravel Eloquent):
                
                ```php
                Product::create([
                    'name' => 'New Product',
                    'price' => 100,
                ]);
                
                ```
                
        - **Query Builder’s `insert()`**:
            - **Purpose**: Used to insert data directly into a table using raw SQL queries.
            - **Behavior**:
                - Requires you to construct the actual SQL query string.
                - Does not automatically handle timestamps or other Eloquent “magic.”
                - More flexible for complex scenarios.
            - **Example** (Laravel Query Builder):
                
                ```php
                DB::table('products')->insert([
                    'name' => 'New Product',
                    'price' => 100,
                ]);
                
                ```
                
2. **Insert Query**:
    - When you execute an **insert query**, you directly write the SQL statement to insert data into the table.
    - This approach is more low-level and gives you fine-grained control over the query.
    - You can use it for both single-row inserts and bulk inserts (arrays).
3. **Array Insert**:
    - If you’re always inserting multiple rows (an array of data), you can use the **bulk insert** feature.
    - This is efficient because it reduces the number of database transactions.
    - Both Eloquent and Query Builder allow you to insert multiple rows at once.

In summary:

- **Insert functions** (like Eloquent’s `create()`) provide a higher-level abstraction and handle some aspects (like timestamps) for you.
- **Direct queries** (like Query Builder’s `insert()`) give you more control but require manual SQL construction.
- For **array inserts**, both approaches can handle bulk inserts efficiently.