# update

The ->update() method for the SurrealDB SDK for Rust updates all or specific records in the database if they exist.

Updates all records in a table, or a specific record, in the database.

```php title="Method Syntax"
$db->update($thing, $data)
```

> [!NOTE]
> This function replaces the current document / record data with the specified data.

## Arguments
<table>
    <thead>
        <tr>
            <th colspan="2" scope="col">Arguments</th>
			<th colspan="2" scope="col">Type</th>
            <th colspan="2" scope="col">Description</th>
        </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2" scope="row" data-label="Arguments">
                <code>thing</code>
                <label label="required" />
            </td>
			<td colspan="2" scope="row" data-label="Type">
				<code>string</code>, <code>RecordId</code> or <code>StringRecordId</code>
			</td>
            <td colspan="2" scope="row" data-label="Description">
                The table name or the specific [`RecordId`](/docs/reference/php/v1/concepts/data-types.md#recordid) to update.
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2" scope="row" data-label="Arguments">
                <code>data</code>
               <label label="optional" />
            </td>
			<td colspan="2" scope="row" data-label="Type">
				<code>mixed</code>
			</td>
            <td colspan="2" scope="row" data-label="Description">
                The document / record data to update.
            </td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>

## Example usage
```php
// Update all records in a table
$people = $db->update('person');

// Update a record with a specific ID
$person = $db->update(new RecordId('person', 'tobie'), [
	"name" => 'Tobie',
	"settings" => [
		"active" => true,
		"marketing" => true,
	],
]);

// The content you are updating the record with might differ from the return type
$record = $db->update(new RecordId('person', 'tobie'), [
	"name" => 'Tobie',
]);
```

## Translated query
This function will run the following query in the database.

```surql
UPDATE $thing CONTENT $data;
```