MySQL PHP Database Tutorial: Insert Data

Next, we need to get some data into the database. To do so, we use an HTML form to collect the data, and then insert the data into the database using PHP. Both these functions can be done on the same page.

The form can submit to the same page it is on. This page checks if the POST method is used. If so, insert into the database. I find it easier to have the form and database insert operation on the same page. Makes one less file to keep track of.

Here is the HTML for the form:

The form looks like the one below. This tutorial does not use an actual database, so this form is not "hooked up" to anything. It is to show you what we are working with. Also note that the above HTML snippet has the HTML formatting table elements removed because the the snippet is for display purposes only. The actual, underlying HTML used to display the form below uses an HTML table.

This form gathers the data we want to insert into the database and submits back to the same page.

Now we need the PHP code to process this information. The first block of code sets up the connection to the database. This is the same as the code we used on the create table page.

We need to create our SQL statement for the insert. The SQL format for an INSERT is:

Where the first column name matches to the first data in each of the sets. Remember, PHP variables are automatically initialized with the form field names submitted to the page. So the PHP code to submit the query and check for errors is:

Putting this together with the HTML code above gives us the complete script. Download this script here. (insert_link.phps) Load the page on your server and insert a couple of links into the database created previously. We will need some data in the database for the next section: View Data from Database

Related Links

Tutorial Sections

• Getting Started

• Create Database

• Insert Data into Database (this page)

• View Data from Database

• Manage Data