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# PostgreSQL Python: Update Data in a Table

**Summary**: in this tutorial, you will learn how to update data in a PostgreSQL table from a Python program.

This tutorial picks up from where the [Inserting Data Into Table Tutorial](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-python/insert) left off.

## Steps for updating data in a PostgreSQL table from Python

To update data from a table in Python, you follow these steps:

- First, [connect to the PostgreSQL server](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-python/connect).
- Next, create a `cursor` object from the `connection` object.
- Then, execute an [UPDATE](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-update) statement by calling the `execute()` method of the `cursor` object.
- After that, commit the changes by calling the `commit()` method of the `connection` object.
- Finally, optionally obtain the number of updated rows from the `rowcount` property of the `cursor` object.

## Updating data in a table example

We will use the `vendors` table in the `suppliers` database for the demonstration:

![vendors\_table](https://neon.com/postgresqltutorial/vendors_table.png)

### 1) Creating update.py module

Suppose a vendor changed its name, you need to reflect these changes in the `vendors` table.

To achieve this, you can define a function `update_vendor()`, which updates the vendor name based on the vendor id.

First, create a new module called `update.py` in the project directory.

Second, define `update_vendor()` function in the `update.py` module:

```python
import psycopg2
from config import load_config


def update_vendor(vendor_id, vendor_name):
    """ Update vendor name based on the vendor id """

    updated_row_count = 0

    sql = """ UPDATE vendors
                SET vendor_name = %s
                WHERE vendor_id = %s"""

    config = load_config()

    try:
        with  psycopg2.connect(**config) as conn:
            with  conn.cursor() as cur:

                # execute the UPDATE statement
                cur.execute(sql, (vendor_name, vendor_id))
                updated_row_count = cur.rowcount

            # commit the changes to the database
            conn.commit()
    except (Exception, psycopg2.DatabaseError) as error:
        print(error)
    finally:
        return updated_row_count

if __name__ == '__main__':
    update_vendor(1, "3M Corp")
```

### 2) Execute the update.py module

First, open the Command Prompt on Windows or Terminal on Unix-like systems.

Second, execute the `update.py` module:

```bash
python update.py
```

### 3) Verify the update

First, connect to the PostgreSQL server using the `psql` client tool:

```bash
psql -U postgres
```

Second, change the current database to `suppliers`:

```
\c suppliers
```

Third, retrieve data from the `vendors` table with the vendor id 1:

```sql
SELECT
  *
FROM
  vendors
WHERE
  vendor_id = 1;
```

Output:

```
 vendor_id | vendor_name
-----------+-------------
         1 | 3M Corp
(1 row)
```

The name of the vendor id 1 has been changed as expected.

[Download the project source code](https://neon.com/postgresqltutorial/update.zip)

## Summary

- Use the `execute()` method of a `cursor` object to execute an `UPDATE` statement that updates data in a table

---

## Related docs (PostgreSQL Python)

- [Connect To PostgreSQL Database](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-python/connect)
- [Create Tables in Python](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-python/create-tables)
- [Insert Data Into Table in Python](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-python/insert)
- [Query Data in Python](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-python/query)
- [Handle Transactions in Python](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-python/transaction)
- [Call PostgreSQL Functions in Python](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-python/postgresql-python-call-postgresql-functions)
- [Call PostgreSQL Stored Procedures in Python](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-python/call-stored-procedures)
- [Work with BLOB Data in Python](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-python/blob)
- [Delete Data from Tables in Python](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-python/delete)