# Data manipulation SurrealDB supports a number of methods for interacting with the database and performing CRUD operations. SurrealDB supports a number of methods for interacting with the database and performing CRUD operations.
Method Description
db.Select() Selects all records in a table, or a specific record, from the database
db.Create() Creates a record in the database
db.Insert() Inserts one or multiple records in the database
db.InsertRelation() Inserts one or multiple relations in the database
db.Update() Updates all records in a table, or a specific record, in the database
db.Upsert() Creates or updates a set of records in a table, or a specific record, in the database
db.Merge() Modifies all records in a table, or a specific record, in the database
db.Patch() Applies JSON Patch changes to all records, or a specific record, in the database
db.Delete() Deletes all records in a table, or a specific record, from the database
## `.Select()` {#select} Selects all records in a table, or a specific record, from the database. ```csharp title="Method Syntax" await db.Select(resource) ``` ### Arguments
Arguments Description
thing The table name or a [`RecordId`](/docs/reference/dotnet/data-types.md#recordid) to select.
cancellationToken The cancellationToken enables graceful cancellation of asynchronous operations.
### Example usage ```csharp // Select all records from a table var people = await db.Select("person"); // Select a specific record from a table var person = await db.Select(("person", "h5wxrf2ewk8xjxosxtyc")); var person = await db.Select(new StringRecordId("person:h5wxrf2ewk8xjxosxtyc")); // Select a specific record from a table, given a non-string id var person = await db.Select(("person", new Guid("8424486b-85b3-4448-ac8d-5d51083391c7"))); ```
## `.Create()` {#create} Creates a record in the database. ```csharp title="Method Syntax" await db.Create(resource, data) ``` ### Arguments
Arguments Description
thing The table name or a [`RecordId`](/docs/reference/dotnet/data-types.md#recordid) to create.
data The document / record data to insert.
cancellationToken The cancellationToken enables graceful cancellation of asynchronous operations.
### Example usage ```csharp // Create a record with a random ID var person = await db.Create("person"); // Create a record with a random ID & specific fields var person = await db.Create("person", new Person { Name = "Tobie" }); // Create a record with a specific ID var personToCreate = new Person { Id = ("person", "tobie"), Name = "Tobie", Settings = new Settings { Active = true, Marketing = true, }, }; var result = await db.Create(personToCreate); ```
## `.Insert()` {#insert} Inserts one or multiple records in the database. ```csharp title="Method Syntax" await db.Insert(table, data) ``` ### Arguments
Arguments Description
table Optionally pass along a table to insert into.
data Either a single document/record or an array of documents/records to insert
cancellationToken The cancellationToken enables graceful cancellation of asynchronous operations.
### Example usage ```csharp var posts = new List { new Post { Id = ("post", "First"), Title = "An article", Content = "This is the first article" }, new Post { Id = ("post", "Second"), Title = "An article", Content = "This is the second article" } }; await db.Insert("post", posts); ```
## `.InsertRelation()` {#insert_relation} Inserts one or multiple relations in the database. ```csharp title="Method Syntax" await db.InsertRelation(table, data) ``` ### Arguments
Arguments Description
table Optionally pass along a table to insert into.
data Either a single document/record or an array of documents/records to insert
cancellationToken The cancellationToken enables graceful cancellation of asynchronous operations.
### Example usage ```csharp await db.InsertRelation( new WroteRelation { In = ("user", "u1"), Out = ("post", "p1"), CreatedAt = now, NumberOfPages = 144 } ); ```
## `.Update()` {#update} Updates all records in a table, or a specific record, in the database. ```csharp title="Method Syntax" await db.Update(thing, data) ``` > [!NOTE] > This function replaces the current document / record data with the specified data. ### Arguments
Arguments Description
thing The table name or the specific [`RecordId`](/docs/reference/dotnet/data-types.md#recordid) to update.
data The document / record data to update.
cancellationToken The cancellationToken enables graceful cancellation of asynchronous operations.
### Example usage ```csharp var post = new Post { Id = ("post", "another"), Title = "A new article", Content = "This is a new article created using the .NET SDK" }; // Updates a single record await db.Update(post); var data = new Person { Name = "Tobie", Settings = new Settings { Active = true, Marketing = true, }, }; // Updates all records inside the "person" table await db.Update("person", data); ```
## `.Upsert()` {#upsert} Creates or updates a specific record. ```csharp title="Method Syntax" await db.Upsert(data) ``` > [!NOTE] > This function creates a new document / record or replaces the current one with the specified data. ### Arguments
Arguments Description
data The document / record data to insert.
cancellationToken The cancellationToken enables graceful cancellation of asynchronous operations.
### Example usage ```csharp var person = new Person { Id = ("person", "tobie"), // Id is mandatory to apply create or update Name = "Tobie", Settings = new Settings { Active = true, Marketing = true, }, }; // Create a new record when it doesn't exist var created = await db.Upsert(person); // Update an existing record when it does exist var updated = await db.Upsert(person); ```
## `.Merge()` {#merge} Modifies all records in a table, or a specific record. ```csharp title="Method Syntax" await db.Merge(resource, data) ``` > [!NOTE] > This function merges the current document / record data with the specified data. ### Arguments
Arguments Description
thing The table name or the specific [`RecordId`](/docs/reference/dotnet/data-types.md#recordid) to merge.
data The data with which to modify the records.
cancellationToken The cancellationToken enables graceful cancellation of asynchronous operations.
### Example usage ```csharp title="Merging data within a single record" // Only changes the fields specified in the merge object var merge = new PersonMerge { Id = ("person", "tobie"), Settings = new Settings { Active = true, Marketing = false, }, }; var result = await db.Merge(merge); // Only changes the fields specified in the Dictionary var data = new Dictionary { { "tags", new List { "developer", "engineer" } } }; var result = await db.Merge(("person", "tobie"), data); ``` ```csharp title="Merging data for every record in a table" // Only changes the fields specified in the merge object var merge = new PersonMerge { Settings = new Settings { Active = true, Marketing = false, }, }; var result = await db.Merge("person", merge); // Only changes the fields specified in the Dictionary var data = new Dictionary { { "tags", new List { "developer", "engineer" } } }; var result = await db.Merge("person", data); ```
## `.Patch()` {#patch} Applies JSON Patch changes to all records, or a specific record, in the database. ```csharp title="Method Syntax" await db.Patch(resource, data) ``` > [!NOTE] > This function patches document / record data with the specified JSON Patch data. ### Arguments
Arguments Description
thing The table name or the specific [`RecordId`](/docs/reference/dotnet/data-types.md#recordid) to patch.
data The JSON Patch data with which to patch the records.
cancellationToken The cancellationToken enables graceful cancellation of asynchronous operations.
### Example usage ```csharp // Update a record with a specific ID var result = await db.Patch(("person", "tobie"), patches); // Update all records in a table var result = await db.Patch("person", patches); ```
## `.Delete()` {#delete} Deletes all records in a table, or a specific record, from the database. ```csharp title="Method Syntax" await db.Delete(resource) ``` ### Arguments
Arguments Description
thing The table name or a [`RecordId`](/docs/reference/dotnet/data-types.md#recordid) to delete.
cancellationToken The cancellationToken enables graceful cancellation of asynchronous operations.
### Example usage ```csharp // Delete all records from a table await db.Delete("person"); // Delete a specific record from a table await db.Delete(("person", "h5wxrf2ewk8xjxosxtyc")); ```