MySQL INSERT() Function

The MySQL INSERT() function inserts a substring into a string at a specified position for a certain number of characters.

If the specified position is not within the length of the string, this function will return the string. If the number is not within the length of the rest of the string, this function will replace the string starting from position until the end of the string. Note that the first position in string starts with 1.

Syntax

INSERT(string, position, number, substring)

Parameters

Return Value

Returns the modified string.

Example 1:

The example below shows the usage of INSERT() function.

mysql> SELECT INSERT('Learning SQL is fun', 10, 3, 'MySQL');
Result: 'Learning MySQL is fun'

mysql> SELECT INSERT('abcxyz', 4, 3, 'def');
Result: 'abcdef'

mysql> SELECT INSERT('ABCPQR', 4, 3, 'abc');
Result: 'ABCabc'

Example 2:

Consider a database table called Employee with the following records:

In the below query, the INSERT() function is used to change the records of EmpID column of the Employee table:

UPDATE Employee SET EmpID = INSERT(EmpID, 1, 3, 'FINCAD');

-- see the result
SELECT * FROM Employee;

This will produce the following result: