MySQL: Inserting Rows Only If They Don't Exist - Techniques and Considerations

• InnoDB Locking: InnoDB uses row-level locking to ensure data consistency during concurrent access. When inserting a new row, it acquires locks to prevent other transactions from modifying the data.
• Gap Locking: For tables with unique indexes, InnoDB also uses gap locking. This ensures that no rows can be inserted between existing values.
• The Challenge: If two connections try to insert the same non-existent row concurrently, they might each lock the "gap" where the row would be inserted. This creates a deadlock, where neither connection can proceed.

Here are approaches to achieve "Insert if not exists" without deadlocks:

1. SELECT ... FOR UPDATE: This approach involves:

   • Running a SELECT ... FOR UPDATE on the desired row (even if it doesn't exist).
   • Checking the results. If no row is found, you can insert.
   • However, SELECT ... FOR UPDATE on a non-existent row might not prevent another connection from attempting the same insert, leading to a deadlock later.

2. Stored Procedure with Retry Logic: You can create a stored procedure that:

   • Checks for the existence of the row.
   • If absent, attempts to insert.
   • Implements retry logic in case of a deadlock error. This involves retrying the insert after a short delay.

3. Alternative Storage Engine: Consider using a storage engine like MyISAM that doesn't use gap locking, but be aware of its limitations compared to InnoDB.

SELECT ... FOR UPDATE (Limited effectiveness):

START TRANSACTION;

SELECT * FROM your_table WHERE unique_column = 'your_value' FOR UPDATE;

IF (ROW_COUNT() = 0) THEN
  INSERT INTO your_table (column1, column2, ...) VALUES ('value1', 'value2', ...);
END IF;

COMMIT;

Explanation:

• We start a transaction to ensure atomicity (all actions succeed or fail together).
• We attempt to select the row with the desired unique_column value and lock it with FOR UPDATE. Note: This might not prevent another connection from attempting an insert before we check ROW_COUNT().
• If no row is found (ROW_COUNT() = 0), we proceed with the insert.
• We commit the transaction to make the changes permanent.

Stored Procedure with Retry Logic (More robust):

DELIMITER //

CREATE PROCEDURE insert_if_not_exists(
  IN value VARCHAR(255)
)
BEGIN
  DECLARE insert_successful BOOL DEFAULT FALSE;
  DECLARE attempt INT DEFAULT 0;

  -- Retry loop with maximum attempts
  WHILE insert_successful = FALSE AND attempt < 3 DO
    START TRANSACTION;

    SELECT * FROM your_table WHERE unique_column = value FOR UPDATE;

    IF (ROW_COUNT() = 0) THEN
      INSERT INTO your_table (column1, column2, ...) VALUES ('value1', 'value2', ...);
      SET insert_successful = TRUE;
    END IF;

    COMMIT;

    SET attempt = attempt + 1;

  END WHILE;

  IF insert_successful = FALSE THEN
    SIGNAL SQLSTATE '45000' SET MESSAGE_TEXT = 'Maximum retries exceeded for insert';
  END IF;
END //

DELIMITER ;

• This stored procedure takes a value to be inserted.
• It uses a loop with a retry limit (attempt < 3) to handle potential deadlocks.
• Inside the loop, it follows a similar logic as the previous example with SELECT ... FOR UPDATE and checking ROW_COUNT().
• If the insert is successful (insert_successful becomes TRUE), the loop exits.
• If retries are exhausted, it signals an error message.

Remember:

• These are examples, and you might need to adjust them based on your specific table structure and needs.
• Option 2 offers more control but requires additional code.
• Consider the trade-offs between these approaches when choosing the best solution for your scenario.

1. INSERT ... ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE:

This is the recommended approach for most cases. It utilizes a single statement and avoids complex logic:

INSERT INTO your_table (column1, column2, ...) VALUES ('value1', 'value2', ...)
ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE column_to_update = 'update_value';

Explanation:

• This statement attempts to insert the new row.
• If a row with the same unique key combination already exists, it updates the specified column (column_to_update) with the provided value (update_value).
• This approach avoids deadlocks as it doesn't involve separate checks and inserts.

Note: This method is most effective when you have a defined UNIQUE or PRIMARY KEY constraint on the columns that determine uniqueness.

1. INSERT IGNORE:

This approach offers a simpler syntax but can be less desirable:

INSERT IGNORE INTO your_table (column1, column2, ...) VALUES ('value1', 'value2', ...);

• This statement attempts to insert the new row.
• However, unlike a regular insert, it ignores any errors that might occur during the insert, including duplicate key violations.
• This can be useful if you don't care about updating existing rows and just want to insert if it doesn't exist.

Be cautious with INSERT IGNORE:

• It ignores all errors, not just duplicate key violations. This can lead to unexpected behavior if there are other potential errors during the insert.
• It doesn't provide any feedback on whether the insert was successful or not.

1. Check Constraints:

While not directly related to inserts, you can define a CHECK constraint on your table to enforce data integrity and prevent duplicate inserts:

ALTER TABLE your_table
ADD CONSTRAINT check_unique UNIQUE (column1, column2, ...);

• This constraint ensures that no two rows can have the same combination of values in the specified columns.
• When attempting to insert a duplicate row, MySQL will throw an error, allowing you to handle the situation appropriately in your application code.

Remember, the best approach depends on your specific needs.

• INSERT ... ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE is generally preferred for its efficiency and clarity.
• INSERT IGNORE can be useful in specific scenarios where ignoring errors is acceptable.
• Check constraints offer another layer of data validation but require handling errors in your application logic.