<!--{
  "Title": "Executing SQL statements that don't return data"
}-->

When you perform database actions that don't return data, use an `Exec` or
`ExecContext` method from the `database/sql` package. SQL statements you'd
execute this way include `INSERT`, `DELETE`, and `UPDATE`.

When your query might return rows, use a `Query` or `QueryContext` method
instead. For more, see [Querying a database](/doc/database/querying).

An `ExecContext` method works as an `Exec` method does, but with an additional
`context.Context` argument, as described in
[Canceling in-progress operations](/doc/database/cancel-operations).

Code in the following example uses
[`DB.Exec`](https://pkg.go.dev/database/sql#DB.Exec) to execute a
statement to add a new record album to an `album` table.

```
func AddAlbum(alb Album) (int64, error) {
	result, err := db.Exec("INSERT INTO album (title, artist) VALUES (?, ?)", alb.Title, alb.Artist)
	if err != nil {
		return 0, fmt.Errorf("AddAlbum: %v", err)
	}

	// Get the new album's generated ID for the client.
	id, err := result.LastInsertId()
	if err != nil {
		return 0, fmt.Errorf("AddAlbum: %v", err)
	}
	// Return the new album's ID.
	return id, nil
}
```

`DB.Exec` returns values: an [`sql.Result`](https://pkg.go.dev/database/sql#Result)
and an error. When the error is `nil`, you can use the `Result` to get the ID
of the last inserted item (as in the example) or to retrieve the number of rows
affected by the operation.

**Note:** Parameter placeholders in prepared statements vary depending on
the DBMS and driver you're using. For example, the
[pq driver](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/lib/pq) for Postgres requires a
placeholder like `$1` instead of `?`.

If your code will be executing the same SQL statement repeatedly, consider
using an `sql.Stmt` to create a reusable prepared statement from the SQL
statement. For more, see [Using prepared statements](/doc/database/prepared-statements).

**Caution:** Don't use string formatting functions such as `fmt.Sprintf`
to assemble an SQL statement! You could introduce an SQL injection risk.
For more, see [Avoiding SQL injection risk](/doc/database/sql-injection).

#### Functions for executing SQL statements that don't return rows {#no_rows_functions}

<table id="no-rows-functions-list" class="DocTable">
  <thead>
    <tr class="DocTable-head">
      <th class="DocTable-cell" width="20%">Function</th>
      <th class="DocTable-cell">Description</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr class="DocTable-row">
      <td class="DocTable-cell">
        <code><a href="https://pkg.go.dev/database/sql#DB.Exec">DB.Exec</a></code><br/>
        <code><a href="https://pkg.go.dev/database/sql#DB.ExecContext">DB.ExecContext</a></code>
      </td>
      <td class="DocTable-cell">Execute a single SQL statement in isolation.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr class="DocTable-row">
      <td class="DocTable-cell">
        <code><a href="https://pkg.go.dev/database/sql#Tx.Exec">Tx.Exec</a></code><br/>
        <code><a href="https://pkg.go.dev/database/sql#Tx.ExecContext">Tx.ExecContext</a></code>
      </td>
      <td class="DocTable-cell">Execute a SQL statement within a larger transaction. For more, see
          <a href="/doc/database/execute-transactions">Executing transactions</a>.
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr class="DocTable-row">
      <td class="DocTable-cell">
        <code><a href="https://pkg.go.dev/database/sql#Stmt.Exec">Stmt.Exec</a></code><br/>
        <code><a href="https://pkg.go.dev/database/sql#Stmt.ExecContext">Stmt.ExecContext</a></code>
      </td>
      <td class="DocTable-cell">Execute an already-prepared SQL statement. For more, see
          <a href="/doc/database/prepared-statements">Using prepared statements</a>.
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr class="DocTable-row">
      <td class="DocTable-cell">
        <code><a href="https://pkg.go.dev/database/sql#Conn.ExecContext">Conn.ExecContext</a></code>
      </td>
      <td class="DocTable-cell">For use with reserved connections. For more, see
          <a href="/doc/database/manage-connections">Managing connections</a>.
      </td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>