# Guidance on using the SQL like syntax

### Supported SQL syntax

You can use a simplified SQL like syntax to select, update and delete rows.

### SQL Commands

* INSERT is not supported. To add data you must use the [csvAddRow ](https://docs.cloud.hoverfly.io/create-simulations/using-data-sources-in-simulations/inserting-data-into-a-data-source)template function.
* SELECT \[column-names] FROM \[data-source-name] WHERE \[conditions] (\* can be used to indicate all colmuns)
* UPDATE \[data-source-name] SET \[\[column-name] = ‘\[value]’,] WHERE \[conditions]
* DELETE FROM \[data-source-name] WHERE \[conditions]

### Conditions

* Only simple conditions are supported.
* You can chain conditions using AND. OR is not supported.
* The following comparison operators are supported in conditions:

\= equals

\> greater than

< less than

\>= greater than or equal to

<= less than or equal to

!= not equal to

### Other considerations

* Capitalization of SQL keywords is required.
* Spaces between components of the SQL statement are required.
* Every value provided to a condition whether a number or a string must be enclosed in quotes.
* Data source names must not be in quotes.
* Joins across different data sources are not supported..

### Examples

For illustration we will use this data source called "pets":

| id   | category | name   | status    |
| ---- | -------- | ------ | --------- |
| 1000 | birds    | Archie | available |
| 1001 | dogs     | Zipper | available |
| 1002 | dogs     | Teddy  | sold      |

```
SELECT * FROM pets WHERE category = 'dogs' AND id >= '1002'

SELECT name, status FROM pets WHERE category = 'birds'

UPDATE pets SET status = 'sold' WHERE name = 'Archie'

UPDATE pets SET status = 'sold', name = 'Name expunged' WHERE id > '10'

DELETE FROM pets WHERE category = 'dogs' AND id > '1001'
```