Interface ReturningInterface<DB, TB, O>

Allows you to return data from modified rows.

On supported databases like PostgreSQL, this method can be chained to insert, update, delete and merge queries to return data.

Note that on SQLite you need to give aliases for the expressions to avoid this bug in SQLite. For example .returning('id as id').

Also see the returningAll method.

Examples

Return one column:

const { id } = await db
  .insertInto('person')
  .values({
    first_name: 'Jennifer',
    last_name: 'Aniston'
  })
  .returning('id')
  .executeTakeFirstOrThrow()
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Return multiple columns:

const { id, last_name } = await db
  .insertInto('person')
  .values({
    first_name: 'Jennifer',
    last_name: 'Aniston'
  })
  .returning(['id', 'last_name'])
  .executeTakeFirstOrThrow()
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Return arbitrary expressions:

import { sql } from 'kysely'

const { id, full_name, first_pet_id } = await db
  .insertInto('person')
  .values({
    first_name: 'Jennifer',
    last_name: 'Aniston'
  })
  .returning((eb) => [
    'id as id',
    sql<string>`concat(first_name, ' ', last_name)`.as('full_name'),
    eb.selectFrom('pet').select('pet.id').limit(1).as('first_pet_id')
  ])
  .executeTakeFirstOrThrow()
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Adds a returning * to an insert/update/delete/merge query on databases that support returning such as PostgreSQL.

Also see the returning method.