Update operators for tables (TypeScript)

Some Data API commands, like Update a row (TypeScript), use update operators to modify rows in a table.

Set

The $set operator sets the value of the specified column to the specified value.

Example setting a non-map column:

import { DataAPIClient } from "@datastax/astra-db-ts";

// Get an existing table
const client = new DataAPIClient();
const database = client.db("API_ENDPOINT", {
  token: "APPLICATION_TOKEN",
});
const table = database.table("TABLE_NAME");

// Update a row
(async function () {
  await table.updateOne(
    {
      title: "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      author: "John Anthony",
    },
    {
      $set: {
        rating: 4.5,
        genres: ["Fiction", "Drama"],
      },
    },
  );
})();

Example setting a map column:

If the updated map includes non-string keys, you must use an array of key-value pairs to update the map column.

Otherwise, you can use an array of key-value pairs or a normal map.

import { DataAPIClient } from "@datastax/astra-db-ts";

// Get an existing table
const client = new DataAPIClient();
const database = client.db("API_ENDPOINT", {
  token: "APPLICATION_TOKEN",
});
const table = database.table("TABLE_NAME");

// Update a row
(async function () {
  await table.updateOne(
    {
      title: "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      author: "John Anthony",
    },
    {
      $set: {
        // This map has non-string keys,
        // so the update is an array of key-value pairs
        map_column_int_str: [
          [1, "value1"],
          [2, "value2"],
        ],
        // This map does not have non-string keys,
        // so the update does not need to be an array of key-value pairs
        map_column_str_str: {
          key1: "value1",
          key2: "value2",
        },
      },
    },
  );
})();

Unset

The $unset operator sets the specified column’s value to null or the equivalent empty form, such as [] or {} for map, list, and set types.

Unsetting a column produces a tombstone. Excessive tombstones can impact query performance.

import { DataAPIClient } from "@datastax/astra-db-ts";

// Get an existing table
const client = new DataAPIClient();
const database = client.db("API_ENDPOINT", {
  token: "APPLICATION_TOKEN",
});
const table = database.table("TABLE_NAME");

// Update a row
(async function () {
  await table.updateOne(
    {
      title: "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      author: "John Anthony",
    },
    {
      $unset: {
        genres: "",
      },
    },
  );
})();

Push

The $push operator appends a single element to a map, list, or set.

To append multiple items, use the $each operator with $push.

Example appending to a list or set column:

import { DataAPIClient } from "@datastax/astra-db-ts";

// Get an existing table
const client = new DataAPIClient();
const database = client.db("API_ENDPOINT", {
  token: "APPLICATION_TOKEN",
});
const table = database.table("TABLE_NAME");

// Update a row
(async function () {
  await table.updateOne(
    {
      title: "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      author: "John Anthony",
    },
    {
      $push: {
        // Appends a single element to the "genres" list
        genres: "SciFi",
        // Appends two elements to the "topics" list
        topics: {
          $each: ["robots", "AI"],
        },
      },
    },
  );
})();

Example appending to a map column:

When appending to a map, if the appended key-value pair has a non-string key, you must represent the key-value pair as an array. Otherwise, you can either use an array or a normal map.

import { DataAPIClient } from "@datastax/astra-db-ts";

// Get an existing table
const client = new DataAPIClient();
const database = client.db("API_ENDPOINT", {
  token: "APPLICATION_TOKEN",
});
const table = database.table("TABLE_NAME");

// Update a row
(async function () {
  await table.updateOne(
    {
      title: "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      author: "John Anthony",
    },
    {
      $push: {
        // This update includes non-string keys,
        // so the update is a key-value pair represented as an array
        map_column_int_str: [1, "value1"],
        // This update does not include non-string keys,
        // so the update can be a key-value pair represented as an array or a map
        map_column_str_str: {
          key1: "value1",
        },
        // When using $each, use an array of key-value pairs for non-string keys
        map_column_int_str_2: {
          $each: [
            [1, "value1"],
            [2, "value2"],
          ],
        },
        // When using $each, use an array of key-value pairs or maps for string keys
        map_column_str_str_2: {
          $each: [{ key1: "value1" }, ["key2", "value2"]],
        },
      },
    },
  );
})();

Each

The $each operator modifies the $push operator to append multiple items to a map, list, or set.

Example appending to a list or set column:

import { DataAPIClient } from "@datastax/astra-db-ts";

// Get an existing table
const client = new DataAPIClient();
const database = client.db("API_ENDPOINT", {
  token: "APPLICATION_TOKEN",
});
const table = database.table("TABLE_NAME");

// Update a row
(async function () {
  await table.updateOne(
    {
      title: "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      author: "John Anthony",
    },
    {
      $push: {
        // Appends a single element to the "genres" list
        genres: "SciFi",
        // Appends two elements to the "topics" list
        topics: {
          $each: ["robots", "AI"],
        },
      },
    },
  );
})();

Example appending to a map column:

import { DataAPIClient } from "@datastax/astra-db-ts";

// Get an existing table
const client = new DataAPIClient();
const database = client.db("API_ENDPOINT", {
  token: "APPLICATION_TOKEN",
});
const table = database.table("TABLE_NAME");

// Update a row
(async function () {
  await table.updateOne(
    {
      title: "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      author: "John Anthony",
    },
    {
      $push: {
        // This update includes non-string keys,
        // so the update is a key-value pair represented as an array
        map_column_int_str: [1, "value1"],
        // This update does not include non-string keys,
        // so the update can be a key-value pair represented as an array or a map
        map_column_str_str: {
          key1: "value1",
        },
        // When using $each, use an array of key-value pairs for non-string keys
        map_column_int_str_2: {
          $each: [
            [1, "value1"],
            [2, "value2"],
          ],
        },
        // When using $each, use an array of key-value pairs or maps for string keys
        map_column_str_str_2: {
          $each: [{ key1: "value1" }, ["key2", "value2"]],
        },
      },
    },
  );
})();

Pull all

The $pullAll operator removes the specified elements from a list or set, or removes entries that match the specified keys from a map.

Example removing matches from a list or set column:

import { DataAPIClient } from "@datastax/astra-db-ts";

// Get an existing table
const client = new DataAPIClient();
const database = client.db("API_ENDPOINT", {
  token: "APPLICATION_TOKEN",
});
const table = database.table("TABLE_NAME");

// Update a row
(async function () {
  await table.updateOne(
    {
      title: "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      author: "John Anthony",
    },
    {
      $pullAll: {
        genres: ["SciFi", "Romance"],
      },
    },
  );
})();

Example removing matches from map column:

import { DataAPIClient } from "@datastax/astra-db-ts";

// Get an existing table
const client = new DataAPIClient();
const database = client.db("API_ENDPOINT", {
  token: "APPLICATION_TOKEN",
});
const table = database.table("TABLE_NAME");

// Update a row
(async function () {
  await table.updateOne(
    {
      title: "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      author: "John Anthony",
    },
    {
      $pullAll: {
        metadata: ["language", "edition"],
      },
    },
  );
})();

Combine operators

You can use multiple update operators in a single update.

import { DataAPIClient } from "@datastax/astra-db-ts";

// Get an existing table
const client = new DataAPIClient();
const database = client.db("API_ENDPOINT", {
  token: "APPLICATION_TOKEN",
});
const table = database.table("TABLE_NAME");

// Update a row
(async function () {
  await table.updateOne(
    {
      title: "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      author: "John Anthony",
    },
    {
      $set: {
        rating: 4.5,
        genres: ["Fiction", "Drama"],
      },
      $unset: {
        borrower: "",
      },
    },
  );
})();

Unsupported operators

  • $rename isn’t supported. Instead, use alterTable to add and drop columns.

  • $currentDate isn’t supported.

  • The array operators $addToSet, $pop, and $position aren’t supported.

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