MERGE INTO

Function

MERGE INTO conditionally matches data in a target table with that in a source table. If data matches, UPDATE is executed on the target table; if data does not match, INSERT is executed. You can use this syntax to run UPDATE and INSERT at a time for convenience.

Precautions

You have the INSERT and UPDATE permissions for the target table and the SELECT permission for the source table.

Syntax

MergeInto ::= MERGE [/*+ plan_hint */] INTO table_name [ [ AS ] alias ]
USING { { table_name | view_name } | subquery } [ [ AS ] alias ]
ON ( condition )
[
  WHEN MATCHED THEN
  UPDATE SET { column_name = { expression | DEFAULT } |
          ( column_name [, ...] ) = ( { expression | DEFAULT } [, ...] ) } [, ...]
  [ WHERE condition ]
]
[
  WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN
  INSERT { DEFAULT VALUES |
  [ ( column_name [, ...] ) ] VALUES ( { expression | DEFAULT } [, ...] ) [, ...] [ WHERE condition ] }
];

Parameter Description

plan_hint clause

Follows the MERGE keyword in the /*+ */ format. It is used to optimize the plan of a MERGE statement block. For details, see Hint-based Tuning. In each statement, only the first /*+ _plan_hint _*/ comment block takes effect as a hint. Multiple hints can be written.
INTO clause

Specifies the target table that is being updated or has data being inserted.
- talbe_name
  
  Specifies the name of the target table.
- alias
  
  Specifies the alias of the target table.
  
  Value range: a string. It must comply with the naming convention rule.
USING clause

Specifies the source table, which can be a table, view, or subquery. If the target table is a replication table, the USING clause cannot contain non-replication tables.
ON clause

Specifies the condition used to match data between the source and target tables. Columns in the condition cannot be updated.
WHEN MATCHED clause

Performs UPDATE if data in the source table matches that in the target table based on the condition.

System catalogs and system columns cannot be updated.
WHEN NOT MATCHED clause

Performs INSERT if data in the source table does not match that in the target table based on the condition.

An INSERT clause can contain only one VALUES.

The order of WHEN MATCHED and WHEN NOT MATCHED clauses can be reversed. One of them can be used by default, but they cannot be both used at one time. Two WHEN MATCHED or WHEN NOT MATCHED clauses cannot be specified at the same time.
DEFAULT

Specifies the default value of a column.

The value is NULL if no default value is assigned to it.
WHERE condition

Specifies the conditions for the UPDATE and INSERT clauses. The two clauses will be executed only when the conditions are met. The default value can be used. System columns cannot be referenced in WHERE condition.

Examples

-- Create the target table products and source table newproducts, and insert data to them.
mogdb=# CREATE TABLE products
(
product_id INTEGER,
product_name VARCHAR2(60),
category VARCHAR2(60)
);

mogdb=# INSERT INTO products VALUES (1501, 'vivitar 35mm', 'electrncs');
mogdb=# INSERT INTO products VALUES (1502, 'olympus is50', 'electrncs');
mogdb=# INSERT INTO products VALUES (1600, 'play gym', 'toys');
mogdb=# INSERT INTO products VALUES (1601, 'lamaze', 'toys');
mogdb=# INSERT INTO products VALUES (1666, 'harry potter', 'dvd');

mogdb=# CREATE TABLE newproducts
(
product_id INTEGER,
product_name VARCHAR2(60),
category VARCHAR2(60)
);

mogdb=# INSERT INTO newproducts VALUES (1502, 'olympus camera', 'electrncs');
mogdb=# INSERT INTO newproducts VALUES (1601, 'lamaze', 'toys');
mogdb=# INSERT INTO newproducts VALUES (1666, 'harry potter', 'toys');
mogdb=# INSERT INTO newproducts VALUES (1700, 'wait interface', 'books');

-- Run MERGE INTO.
mogdb=# MERGE INTO products p
USING newproducts np
ON (p.product_id = np.product_id)
WHEN MATCHED THEN
  UPDATE SET p.product_name = np.product_name, p.category = np.category WHERE p.product_name != 'play gym'
WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN
  INSERT VALUES (np.product_id, np.product_name, np.category) WHERE np.category = 'books';
MERGE 4

-- Query updates.
mogdb=# SELECT * FROM products ORDER BY product_id;
 product_id |  product_name  | category
------------+----------------+-----------
       1501 | vivitar 35mm   | electrncs
       1502 | olympus camera | electrncs
       1600 | play gym       | toys
       1601 | lamaze         | toys
       1666 | harry potter   | toys
       1700 | wait interface | books
(6 rows)

-- Delete the table.
mogdb=# DROP TABLE products;
mogdb=# DROP TABLE newproducts;

Issue