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# PostgreSQL INSERT Multiple Rows

**Summary**: in this tutorial, you will learn how to use the PostgreSQL `INSERT` statement to insert multiple rows into a table.

## Inserting multiple rows into a table

To insert multiple rows into a table using a single [`INSERT`](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-insert) statement, you use the following syntax:

```sql
INSERT INTO table_name (column_list)
VALUES
    (value_list_1),
    (value_list_2),
    ...
    (value_list_n);
```

In this syntax:

- First, specify the name of the table that you want to insert data after the `INSERT INTO` keywords.
- Second, list the required columns or all columns of the table in parentheses that follow the table name.
- Third, supply a comma-separated list of rows after the `VALUES` keyword.

To insert multiple rows and return the inserted rows, you add the `RETURNING` clause as follows:

```sql
INSERT INTO table_name (column_list)
VALUES
    (value_list_1),
    (value_list_2),
    ...
    (value_list_n)
RETURNING * | output_expression;
```

Inserting multiple rows at once has advantages over inserting one row at a time:

- **Performance:** Inserting multiple rows in a single statement is often more efficient than multiple individual inserts because it reduces the number of round-trips between the application and the PostgreSQL server.
- **Atomicity:** The entire `INSERT` statement is atomic, meaning that either all rows are inserted, or none are. This ensures data consistency.

## Inserting multiple rows into a table examples

Let's take some examples of inserting multiple rows into a table.

### Setting up a sample table

The following statement [creates a new table](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-create-table) called `contacts` that has four columns `id`, `first_name`, `last_name`, and `email`:

```sql
CREATE TABLE contacts (
    id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
    first_name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
    last_name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
    email VARCHAR(384) NOT NULL UNIQUE
);
```

### 1) Basic inserting multiple rows example

The following statement uses the `INSERT` statement to insert three rows into the `contacts` table:

```sql
INSERT INTO contacts (first_name, last_name, email)
VALUES
    ('John', 'Doe', 'john.doe@example.com'),
    ('Jane', 'Smith', 'jane.smith@example.com'),
    ('Bob', 'Johnson', 'bob.johnson@example.com');
```

PostgreSQL returns the following message:

```sql
INSERT 0 3
```

To verify the inserts, you use the following statement:

```sql
SELECT * FROM contacts;
```

Output:

```text
 id | first_name | last_name |          email
----+------------+-----------+-------------------------
  1 | John       | Doe       | john.doe@example.com
  2 | Jane       | Smith     | jane.smith@example.com
  3 | Bob        | Johnson   | bob.johnson@example.com
(3 rows)

```

### 2) Inserting multiple rows and returning inserted rows

The following statement uses the `INSERT` statement to insert two rows into the `contacts` table and returns the inserted rows:

```sql
INSERT INTO contacts (first_name, last_name, email)
VALUES
    ('Alice', 'Johnson', 'alice.johnson@example.com'),
    ('Charlie', 'Brown', 'charlie.brown@example.com')
RETURNING *;
```

Output:

```text
 id | first_name | last_name |           email
----+------------+-----------+---------------------------
  4 | Alice      | Johnson   | alice.johnson@example.com
  5 | Charlie    | Brown     | charlie.brown@example.com
(2 rows)


INSERT 0 2
```

If you just want to return the inserted id list, you can specify the `id` column in the `RETURNING` clause like this:

```sql
INSERT INTO contacts (first_name, last_name, email)
VALUES
    ('Eva', 'Williams', 'eva.williams@example.com'),
    ('Michael', 'Miller', 'michael.miller@example.com'),
    ('Sophie', 'Davis', 'sophie.davis@example.com')
RETURNING id;
```

Output:

```
 id
----
  6
  7
  8
(3 rows)


INSERT 0 3
```

## Summary

- Specify multiple value lists in the `INSERT` statement to insert multiple rows into a table.
- Use `RETURNING` clause to return the inserted rows.

---

## Related docs (Modifying Data)

- [INSERT](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-insert)
- [UPDATE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-update)
- [UPDATE Join](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-update-join)
- [DELETE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-delete)
- [DELETE Join](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-delete-join)
- [DELETE CASCADE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-delete-cascade)
- [Delete Duplicate Rows](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/how-to-delete-duplicate-rows-in-postgresql)
- [Upsert](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-upsert)
- [MERGE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-merge)