Inserting multiple rows in a single SQL query?

Inserting multiple rows in a single SQL query is a great way to save time and make your queries more efficient. Instead of writing multiple INSERT statements one by one, you can combine them into a single query, which reduces code repetition and improves performance, especially when working with large datasets.

Here are the most common ways to do it:

Basic multiple row insert

 You can insert several rows into a table in one query like this:

 INSERT INTO Employees (EmployeeID, Name, Department)  
VALUES  
    (1, 'John Doe', 'HR'),  
    (2, 'Jane Smith', 'Finance'),  
    (3, 'Mike Johnson', 'IT');

 This adds three rows to the Employees table at once.

Using INSERT INTO ... SELECT

 Another way to insert multiple rows is by selecting data from another table:

 INSERT INTO Employees (EmployeeID, Name, Department)  
SELECT EmployeeID, Name, Department  
FROM TempEmployees;

 This copies multiple rows from TempEmployees into Employees in a single step.

Performance benefits

• Fewer queries mean faster execution.
  
• Reduces network overhead when working with remote databases.
  
• Keeps SQL scripts shorter and easier to maintain.
  

 In short, inserting multiple rows in a single query is not only faster but also cleaner. If you’re adding static values, use the multiple VALUES syntax. If you’re migrating or moving data, the INSERT INTO ... SELECT method works best.