docs/sql-ref-syntax-dml-insert-overwrite-table.md

---
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title: INSERT OVERWRITE
displayTitle: INSERT OVERWRITE
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---

### Description

The `INSERT OVERWRITE` statement overwrites the existing data in the table using the new values. The inserted rows can be specified by value expressions or result from a query.

### Syntax
{% highlight sql %}
INSERT OVERWRITE [ TABLE ] table_identifier [ partition_spec [ IF NOT EXISTS ] ]
    { { VALUES ( { value | NULL } [ , ... ] ) [ , ( ... ) ] } | query }
{% endhighlight %}

### Parameters
<dl>
  <dt><code><em>table_identifier</em></code></dt>
  <dd>
    Specifies a table name, which may be optionally qualified with a database name.<br><br>
    <b>Syntax:</b>
      <code>
        [ database_name. ] table_name
      </code>
  </dd>
</dl>

<dl>
  <dt><code><em>partition_spec</em></code></dt>
  <dd>
    An optional parameter that specifies a comma separated list of key and value pairs
    for partitions.<br><br>
    <b>Syntax:</b>
      <code>
        PARTITION ( partition_col_name [ = partition_col_val ] [ , ... ] )
      </code>
  </dd>
</dl>

<dl>
  <dt><code><em>VALUES ( { value | NULL } [ , ... ] ) [ , ( ... ) ]</em></code></dt>
  <dd>Specifies the values to be inserted. Either an explicitly specified value or a NULL can be inserted. A comma must be used to separate each value in the clause. More than one set of values can be specified to insert multiple rows.</dd>
</dl>

<dl>
  <dt><code><em>query</em></code></dt>
  <dd>A query that produces the rows to be inserted. It can be in one of following formats:
    <ul>
      <li>a <code>SELECT</code> statement</li>
      <li>a <code>TABLE</code> statement</li>
      <li>a <code>FROM</code> statement</li>
    </ul>
   </dd>
</dl>

### Examples
#### Insert Using a VALUES Clause
{% highlight sql %}
 -- Assuming the students table has already been created and populated.
 SELECT * FROM students;

     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | name           | address                        | student_id     |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | Amy Smith      | 123 Park Ave, San Jose         | 111111         |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | Bob Brown      | 456 Taylor St, Cupertino       | 222222         |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | Cathy Johnson  | 789 Race Ave, Palo Alto        | 333333         |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | Dora Williams  | 134 Forest Ave, Melo Park      | 444444         |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | Fleur Laurent  | 345 Copper St, London          | 777777         |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | Gordon Martin  | 779 Lake Ave, Oxford           | 888888         |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | Helen Davis    | 469 Mission St, San Diego      | 999999         |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | Jason Wang     | 908 Bird St, Saratoga          | 121212         |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +

 INSERT OVERWRITE students
     VALUES ('Ashua Hill', '456 Erica Ct, Cupertino', 111111),
            ('Brian Reed', '723 Kern Ave, Palo Alto', 222222);

 SELECT * FROM students;

     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | name           | address                        | student_id     |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | Ashua Hill     | 456 Erica Ct, Cupertino        | 111111         |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | Brian Reed     | 723 Kern Ave, Palo Alto        | 222222         |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
{% endhighlight %}

#### Insert Using a SELECT Statement
{% highlight sql %}
 -- Assuming the persons table has already been created and populated.
 SELECT * FROM persons;

      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
      | name           | address                        | ssn            |
      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
      | Dora Williams  | 134 Forest Ave, Melo Park      | 123456789      |
      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
      | Eddie Davis    | 245 Market St, Milpitas        | 345678901      |
      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + ---------------+

 INSERT OVERWRITE students PARTITION (student_id = 222222)
     SELECT name, address FROM persons WHERE name = "Dora Williams";

 SELECT * FROM students;

      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
      | name           | address                        | student_id     |
      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
      | Ashua Hill     | 456 Erica Ct, Cupertino        | 111111         |
      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
      | Dora Williams  | 134 Forest Ave, Melo Park      | 222222         |
      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
{% endhighlight %}

#### Insert Using a TABLE Statement
{% highlight sql %}
 -- Assuming the visiting_students table has already been created and populated.
 SELECT * FROM visiting_students;

      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
      | name           | address                        | student_id     |
      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
      | Fleur Laurent  | 345 Copper St, London          | 777777         |
      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
      | Gordon Martin  | 779 Lake Ave, Oxford           | 888888         |
      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +

 INSERT OVERWRITE students TABLE visiting_students;

 SELECT * FROM students;

      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
      | name           | address                        | student_id     |
      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
      | Fleur Laurent  | 345 Copper St, London          | 777777         |
      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
      | Gordon Martin  | 779 Lake Ave, Oxford           | 888888         |
      + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
{% endhighlight %}

#### Insert Using a FROM Statement
{% highlight sql %}
 -- Assuming the applicants table has already been created and populated.
 SELECT * FROM applicants;

     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- + -------------- +
     | name           | address                        | student_id     | qualified      |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- + -------------- +
     | Helen Davis    | 469 Mission St, San Diego      | 999999         | true           |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- + -------------- +
     | Ivy King       | 367 Leigh Ave, Santa Clara     | 101010         | false          |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- + -------------- +
     | Jason Wang     | 908 Bird St, Saratoga          | 121212         | true           |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- + -------------- +

 INSERT OVERWRITE students;
      FROM applicants SELECT name, address, id applicants WHERE qualified = true;

 SELECT * FROM students;

     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | name           | address                        | student_id     |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | Helen Davis    | 469 Mission St, San Diego      | 999999         |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
     | Jason Wang     | 908 Bird St, Saratoga          | 121212         |
     + -------------- + ------------------------------ + -------------- +
{% endhighlight %}

### Related Statements
  * [INSERT INTO statement](sql-ref-syntax-dml-insert-into.html)
  * [INSERT OVERWRITE DIRECTORY statement](sql-ref-syntax-dml-insert-overwrite-directory.html)
  * [INSERT OVERWRITE DIRECTORY with Hive format statement](sql-ref-syntax-dml-insert-overwrite-directory-hive.html)