Upserted

Upserted is a term commonly used in database management and data processing. It refers to an operation that either inserts a new record into a database table or updates an existing record if a record with the same unique identifier already exists. This combined functionality streamlines data manipulation by avoiding the need for separate checks for existence before performing an insert or update.

The core concept behind upsert is efficiency. Traditionally, to achieve the same result, one would first attempt to insert a record. If the insert failed due to a unique key constraint violation, then a separate update operation would be executed. The upsert operation consolidates these steps into a single atomic command, reducing the number of database queries and the potential for race conditions.

Many database systems and programming languages offer built-in support for upsert operations. For example, SQL databases often have specific syntax like `INSERT ... ON CONFLICT UPDATE` or `MERGE` statements. Similarly, NoSQL databases and various data manipulation libraries provide equivalent functionalities. The exact syntax and behavior can vary between different platforms.

The term "upserted" is the past participle of the verb "upsert," indicating that the upsert operation has been performed. For instance, one might say, "The new customer data was upserted into the system." This term is widely understood within the developer and database administration communities.