Why the "Non" in "ExecuteNonQuery"?

Question

I know this is not a hell of an useful question but I can't help being bugged by it.

So,
Why said method (in *Command classes) is called
ExecuteNonQuery instead of ExecuteQuery?

Aren't those SQL statements we throw at DBs, queries?

score 18 · Accepted Answer · answered May 14 '10 at 12:28

18

Semantically, a query is something you execute to return data. You're 'querying' the database to find all the X in the Y.

If you're not expecting back results, it's not so much a query as it is a statement or command.

answered May 14 '10 at 12:28

Tejs

1

But it can be a SELECT. So why not just "myCommand.Execute()"? – Camilo Martin May 14 '10 at 12:34
@Camilo: Because there's ExecuteReader() that will return the results of your query, or even ExecuteScalar(), for single-valued results. – Will Marcouiller May 14 '10 at 12:42
Thanks, I didn't knew of ExecuteScalar :) – Camilo Martin May 14 '10 at 13:31

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered May 14 '10 at 12:28

2

Not if they are INSERTs, DELETEs, CREATE TABLEs, etc.

answered May 14 '10 at 12:28

Marcelo Cantos

1

But a method that **can** execute a query (i.e., SELECT) should not be called ExecuteNonQuery. That's what bothers me. – Camilo Martin May 14 '10 at 12:30
2

It *can* execute a `SELECT`, but there's no point using `ExecuteNonQuery` with a `SELECT`, because it doesn't actually return a result. – Dean Harding May 14 '10 at 12:33
2

@Camilo the DB classes don't know if you need a response explicitly telling the DB object that you don't expect anything back makes room for optimizations. You as the dev might not want anything returned by a select statement (select * into ... for one) – Rune FS May 14 '10 at 12:34
Thanks Rune FS, it makes sense. – Camilo Martin May 14 '10 at 12:38

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered May 14 '10 at 12:29

0

I would think of it as a query is asking the database for records back. Actions that alter the data/database would not be a query.

answered May 14 '10 at 12:29

Jon

3 Answers3