How to Insert Data in MySQL

Listing the column names is worth the extra typing. Without them the tuple has to match the table's column order exactly, so the statement breaks the next time someone adds a column. A single multi-row INSERT is dramatically faster than one statement per row because it is one round trip and one transaction.

INSERT INTO orders (customer_id, amount)
VALUES (101, 42.50), (102, 17.00);

Insert from a query

INSERT ... SELECT copies rows entirely on the server, with no data crossing the network to your client. The SELECT column order has to line up with the target's, so name the columns on both sides whenever the tables are not identical. Large copies hold locks for the duration, so batch them with a LIMIT and a loop if that becomes a problem.

INSERT INTO orders_archive
SELECT * FROM orders WHERE created_at < '2025-01-01';