SQLite UPSERT / UPDATE OR INSERT

Question

I need to perform UPSERT / INSERT OR UPDATE against a SQLite Database.

There is the command INSERT OR REPLACE which in many cases can be useful. But if you want to k

Answer 1

Option 1: Insert -> Update

If you like to avoid both changes()=0 and INSERT OR IGNORE even if you cannot afford deleting the row - You can use this logic;

First, insert (if not exists) and then update by filtering with the unique key.

Example

-- Table structure
CREATE TABLE players (
    id        INTEGER       PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
    user_name VARCHAR (255) NOT NULL
                            UNIQUE,
    age       INTEGER       NOT NULL
);

-- Insert if NOT exists
INSERT INTO players (user_name, age)
SELECT 'johnny', 20
WHERE NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM players WHERE user_name='johnny' AND age=20);

-- Update (will affect row, only if found)
-- no point to update user_name to 'johnny' since it's unique, and we filter by it as well
UPDATE players 
SET age=20 
WHERE user_name='johnny';

Regarding Triggers

Notice: I haven't tested it to see the which triggers are being called, but I assume the following:

if row does not exists

• BEFORE INSERT
• INSERT using INSTEAD OF
• AFTER INSERT
• BEFORE UPDATE
• UPDATE using INSTEAD OF
• AFTER UPDATE

if row does exists

• BEFORE UPDATE
• UPDATE using INSTEAD OF
• AFTER UPDATE

Option 2: Insert or replace - keep your own ID

in this way you can have a single SQL command

-- Table structure
CREATE TABLE players (
    id        INTEGER       PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
    user_name VARCHAR (255) NOT NULL
                            UNIQUE,
    age       INTEGER       NOT NULL
);

-- Single command to insert or update
INSERT OR REPLACE INTO players 
(id, user_name, age) 
VALUES ((SELECT id from players WHERE user_name='johnny' AND age=20),
        'johnny',
        20);

Edit: added option 2.