Update operators for tables

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

Set

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

  • Python

  • TypeScript

  • Java

  • C#

  • curl

from astrapy import DataAPIClient
from astrapy.authentication import UsernamePasswordTokenProvider
from astrapy.constants import Environment

# Get an existing table
client = DataAPIClient(environment=Environment.HCD)
database = client.get_database(
    "API_ENDPOINT",
    token=UsernamePasswordTokenProvider("USERNAME", "PASSWORD"),
)
table = database.get_table("TABLE_NAME", keyspace="KEYSPACE_NAME")

# Update a row
table.update_one(
    {"title": "Hidden Shadows of the Past", "author": "John Anthony"},
    {
        "$set": {"rating": 4.5, "genres": ["Fiction", "Drama"]},
    },
)
import {
  DataAPIClient,
  UsernamePasswordTokenProvider,
} from "@datastax/astra-db-ts";

// Get an existing table
const client = new DataAPIClient({ environment: "hcd" });
const database = client.db("API_ENDPOINT", {
  token: new UsernamePasswordTokenProvider("USERNAME", "PASSWORD"),
});
const table = database.table("TABLE_NAME", {
  keyspace: "KEYSPACE_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"],
      },
    },
  );
})();
import com.datastax.astra.client.DataAPIClients;
import com.datastax.astra.client.core.query.Filter;
import com.datastax.astra.client.core.query.Filters;
import com.datastax.astra.client.tables.Table;
import com.datastax.astra.client.tables.commands.TableUpdateOperation;
import com.datastax.astra.client.tables.definition.rows.Row;
import java.util.Arrays;

public class Example {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    // Get an existing table
    Table<Row> table =
        DataAPIClients.clientHCD("USERNAME", "PASSWORD")
            .getDatabase("API_ENDPOINT", "KEYSPACE_NAME")
            .getTable("TABLE_NAME");

    // Update a row
    Filter filter =
        Filters.and(
            Filters.eq("title", "Hidden Shadows of the Past"),
            Filters.eq("author", "John Anthony"));

    TableUpdateOperation update =
        new TableUpdateOperation()
            .set("rating", 4.5)
            .set("genres", Arrays.asList("Fiction", "Drama"));

    table.updateOne(filter, update);
  }
}

  • Typed

  • Untyped

You can manually define a client-side type for your collection to help statically catch errors. For more information and examples, see Custom typing for collections.

using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Core;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Tables;

namespace Examples;

public class Book
{
  [ColumnPrimaryKey(1)]
  [ColumnName("title")]
  public string Title { get; set; } = null!;

  [ColumnPrimaryKey(2)]
  [ColumnName("author")]
  public string Author { get; set; } = null!;

  [ColumnName("rating")]
  public double? Rating { get; set; }

  [ColumnName("genres")]
  public List<string>? Genres { get; set; }
}

public class Program
{
  static async Task Main()
  {
    // Get an existing table
    var client = new DataAPIClient(
      new CommandOptions() { Destination = DataAPIDestination.HCD }
    );

    var database = client.GetDatabase(
      "API_ENDPOINT",
      DataAPIClient.UsernamePasswordTokenProvider(
        "USERNAME",
        "PASSWORD"
      ),
      "KEYSPACE_NAME"
    );

    var table = database.GetTable<Book>("TABLE_NAME");

    var filterBuilder = Builders<Book>.TableFilter;
    var filter = filterBuilder.And(
      filterBuilder.Eq(b => b.Title, "Hidden Shadows of the Past"),
      filterBuilder.Eq(b => b.Author, "John Anthony")
    );

    var update = Builders<Book>
      .TableUpdate.Set(b => b.Rating, 4.5)
      .Set(b => b.Genres, new List<string> { "Fiction", "Drama" });

    await table.UpdateOneAsync(filter, update);
  }
}

If you don’t pass a type parameter, the collection or table remains untyped. This is a more flexible but less type-safe option.

using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Core;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Tables;

namespace Examples;

public class Program
{
  static async Task Main()
  {
    // Get an existing table
    var client = new DataAPIClient(
      new CommandOptions() { Destination = DataAPIDestination.HCD }
    );

    var database = client.GetDatabase(
      "API_ENDPOINT",
      DataAPIClient.UsernamePasswordTokenProvider(
        "USERNAME",
        "PASSWORD"
      ),
      "KEYSPACE_NAME"
    );

    var table = database.GetTable("TABLE_NAME");

    var filterBuilder = Builders<Row>.TableFilter;
    var filter = filterBuilder.And(
      filterBuilder.Eq("title", "Hidden Shadows of the Past"),
      filterBuilder.Eq("author", "John Anthony")
    );

    var update = Builders<Row>
      .TableUpdate.Set("rating", 4.5)
      .Set("genres", new[] { "Fiction", "Drama" });

    await table.UpdateOneAsync(filter, update);
  }
}
curl -sS -L -X POST "API_ENDPOINT/v1/KEYSPACE_NAME/TABLE_NAME" \
  --header "Token: APPLICATION_TOKEN" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data '{
  "updateOne": {
    "filter": {
      "title": "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      "author": "John Anthony"
    },
    "update": {
      "$set": {
        "rating": 4.5,
        "genres": ["Fiction", "Drama"]
      }
    }
  }
}'

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.

  • Python

  • TypeScript

  • Java

  • C#

  • curl

from astrapy import DataAPIClient
from astrapy.authentication import UsernamePasswordTokenProvider
from astrapy.constants import Environment

# Get an existing table
client = DataAPIClient(environment=Environment.HCD)
database = client.get_database(
    "API_ENDPOINT",
    token=UsernamePasswordTokenProvider("USERNAME", "PASSWORD"),
)
table = database.get_table("TABLE_NAME", keyspace="KEYSPACE_NAME")

# Update a row
table.update_one(
    {"title": "Hidden Shadows of the Past", "author": "John Anthony"},
    {"$unset": {"genres": ""}},
)
import {
  DataAPIClient,
  UsernamePasswordTokenProvider,
} from "@datastax/astra-db-ts";

// Get an existing table
const client = new DataAPIClient({ environment: "hcd" });
const database = client.db("API_ENDPOINT", {
  token: new UsernamePasswordTokenProvider("USERNAME", "PASSWORD"),
});
const table = database.table("TABLE_NAME", {
  keyspace: "KEYSPACE_NAME",
});

// Update a row
(async function () {
  await table.updateOne(
    {
      title: "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      author: "John Anthony",
    },
    {
      $unset: {
        genres: "",
      },
    },
  );
})();
import com.datastax.astra.client.DataAPIClients;
import com.datastax.astra.client.core.query.Filter;
import com.datastax.astra.client.core.query.Filters;
import com.datastax.astra.client.tables.Table;
import com.datastax.astra.client.tables.commands.TableUpdateOperation;
import com.datastax.astra.client.tables.definition.rows.Row;

public class Example {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    // Get an existing table
    Table<Row> table =
        DataAPIClients.clientHCD("USERNAME", "PASSWORD")
            .getDatabase("API_ENDPOINT", "KEYSPACE_NAME")
            .getTable("TABLE_NAME");

    // Update a row
    Filter filter =
        Filters.and(
            Filters.eq("title", "Hidden Shadows of the Past"),
            Filters.eq("author", "John Anthony"));

    TableUpdateOperation update = new TableUpdateOperation().unset("genres");

    table.updateOne(filter, update);
  }
}

  • Typed

  • Untyped

You can manually define a client-side type for your collection to help statically catch errors. For more information and examples, see Custom typing for collections.

using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Core;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Core.Query;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Tables;

namespace Examples;

public class Book
{
  [ColumnPrimaryKey(1)]
  [ColumnName("title")]
  public string Title { get; set; } = null!;

  [ColumnPrimaryKey(2)]
  [ColumnName("author")]
  public string Author { get; set; } = null!;

  [ColumnName("number_of_pages")]
  public int? NumberOfPages { get; set; }

  [ColumnName("genres")]
  public HashSet<string>? Genres { get; set; }

  [ColumnName("due_date")]
  public DateOnly? DueDate { get; set; }
}

public class Program
{
  static async Task Main()
  {
    // Get an existing table
    var client = new DataAPIClient(
      new CommandOptions() { Destination = DataAPIDestination.HCD }
    );

    var database = client.GetDatabase(
      "API_ENDPOINT",
      DataAPIClient.UsernamePasswordTokenProvider(
        "USERNAME",
        "PASSWORD"
      ),
      "KEYSPACE_NAME"
    );

    var table = database.GetTable<Book>("TABLE_NAME");

    // Update a row
    var filterBuilder = Builders<Book>.TableFilter;
    var filter = filterBuilder.And(
      filterBuilder.Eq(b => b.Title, "Hidden Shadows of the Past"),
      filterBuilder.Eq(b => b.Author, "John Anthony")
    );

    var update = Builders<Book>.TableUpdate.Unset(x => x.Genres);

    await table.UpdateOneAsync(filter, update);
  }
}

If you don’t pass a type parameter, the collection or table remains untyped. This is a more flexible but less type-safe option.

using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Core;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Tables;

namespace Examples;

public class Program
{
  static async Task Main()
  {
    // Get an existing table
    var client = new DataAPIClient(
      new CommandOptions() { Destination = DataAPIDestination.HCD }
    );

    var database = client.GetDatabase(
      "API_ENDPOINT",
      DataAPIClient.UsernamePasswordTokenProvider(
        "USERNAME",
        "PASSWORD"
      ),
      "KEYSPACE_NAME"
    );

    var table = database.GetTable("TABLE_NAME");

    // Update a row
    var filterBuilder = Builders<Row>.TableFilter;
    var filter = filterBuilder.And(
      filterBuilder.Eq("title", "Hidden Shadows of the Past"),
      filterBuilder.Eq("author", "John Anthony")
    );

    var update = Builders<Row>.TableUpdate.Unset("genres");

    await table.UpdateOneAsync(filter, update);
  }
}
curl -sS -L -X POST "API_ENDPOINT/v1/KEYSPACE_NAME/TABLE_NAME" \
  --header "Token: APPLICATION_TOKEN" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data '{
  "updateOne": {
    "filter": {
      "title": "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      "author": "John Anthony"
    },
    "update": {
        "$unset": {
            "genres": ""
        }
    }
  }
}'

Combine operators

You can use multiple update operators in a single update.

  • Python

  • TypeScript

  • Java

  • C#

  • curl

from astrapy import DataAPIClient
from astrapy.authentication import UsernamePasswordTokenProvider
from astrapy.constants import Environment

# Get an existing table
client = DataAPIClient(environment=Environment.HCD)
database = client.get_database(
    "API_ENDPOINT",
    token=UsernamePasswordTokenProvider("USERNAME", "PASSWORD"),
)
table = database.get_table("TABLE_NAME", keyspace="KEYSPACE_NAME")

# Update a row
table.update_one(
    {"title": "Hidden Shadows of the Past", "author": "John Anthony"},
    {
        "$set": {"rating": 4.5, "genres": ["Fiction", "Drama"]},
        "$unset": {"borrower": ""},
    },
)
import {
  DataAPIClient,
  UsernamePasswordTokenProvider,
} from "@datastax/astra-db-ts";

// Get an existing table
const client = new DataAPIClient({ environment: "hcd" });
const database = client.db("API_ENDPOINT", {
  token: new UsernamePasswordTokenProvider("USERNAME", "PASSWORD"),
});
const table = database.table("TABLE_NAME", {
  keyspace: "KEYSPACE_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: "",
      },
    },
  );
})();
import com.datastax.astra.client.DataAPIClients;
import com.datastax.astra.client.core.query.Filter;
import com.datastax.astra.client.core.query.Filters;
import com.datastax.astra.client.tables.Table;
import com.datastax.astra.client.tables.commands.TableUpdateOperation;
import com.datastax.astra.client.tables.definition.rows.Row;
import java.util.Arrays;

public class Example {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    // Get an existing table
    Table<Row> table =
        DataAPIClients.clientHCD("USERNAME", "PASSWORD")
            .getDatabase("API_ENDPOINT", "KEYSPACE_NAME")
            .getTable("TABLE_NAME");

    // Update a row
    Filter filter =
        Filters.and(
            Filters.eq("title", "Hidden Shadows of the Past"),
            Filters.eq("author", "John Anthony"));

    TableUpdateOperation update =
        new TableUpdateOperation()
            .set("rating", 4.5)
            .set("genres", Arrays.asList("Fiction", "Drama"))
            .unset("borrower");

    table.updateOne(filter, update);
  }
}

  • Typed

  • Untyped

You can manually define a client-side type for your collection to help statically catch errors. For more information and examples, see Custom typing for collections.

using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Core;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Core.Query;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Tables;

namespace Examples;

public class Book
{
  [ColumnPrimaryKey(1)]
  [ColumnName("title")]
  public string Title { get; set; } = null!;

  [ColumnPrimaryKey(2)]
  [ColumnName("author")]
  public string Author { get; set; } = null!;

  [ColumnName("rating")]
  public float? Rating { get; set; }

  [ColumnName("genres")]
  public HashSet<string>? Genres { get; set; }

  [ColumnName("borrower")]
  public string? Borrower { get; set; }
}

public class Program
{
  static async Task Main()
  {
    // Get an existing table
    var client = new DataAPIClient(
      new CommandOptions() { Destination = DataAPIDestination.HCD }
    );

    var database = client.GetDatabase(
      "API_ENDPOINT",
      DataAPIClient.UsernamePasswordTokenProvider(
        "USERNAME",
        "PASSWORD"
      ),
      "KEYSPACE_NAME"
    );

    var table = database.GetTable<Book>("TABLE_NAME");

    // Update a row
    var filterBuilder = Builders<Book>.TableFilter;
    var filter = filterBuilder.And(
      filterBuilder.Eq(b => b.Title, "Hidden Shadows of the Past"),
      filterBuilder.Eq(b => b.Author, "John Anthony")
    );

    var update = Builders<Book>
      .TableUpdate.Set(x => x.Rating, 4.5f)
      .Set(x => x.Genres, new HashSet<string> { "Fiction", "Drama" })
      .Unset(x => x.Borrower);

    await table.UpdateOneAsync(filter, update);
  }
}

If you don’t pass a type parameter, the collection or table remains untyped. This is a more flexible but less type-safe option.

using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Core;
using DataStax.AstraDB.DataApi.Tables;

namespace Examples;

public class Program
{
  static async Task Main()
  {
    // Get an existing table
    var client = new DataAPIClient(
      new CommandOptions() { Destination = DataAPIDestination.HCD }
    );

    var database = client.GetDatabase(
      "API_ENDPOINT",
      DataAPIClient.UsernamePasswordTokenProvider(
        "USERNAME",
        "PASSWORD"
      ),
      "KEYSPACE_NAME"
    );

    var table = database.GetTable("TABLE_NAME");

    // Update a row
    var filterBuilder = Builders<Row>.TableFilter;
    var filter = filterBuilder.And(
      filterBuilder.Eq("title", "Hidden Shadows of the Past"),
      filterBuilder.Eq("author", "John Anthony")
    );

    var update = Builders<Row>
      .TableUpdate.Set("rating", 4.5)
      .Set("genres", new HashSet<string> { "Fiction", "Drama" })
      .Unset("borrower");

    await table.UpdateOneAsync(filter, update);
  }
}
curl -sS -L -X POST "API_ENDPOINT/v1/KEYSPACE_NAME/TABLE_NAME" \
  --header "Token: APPLICATION_TOKEN" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data '{
  "updateOne": {
    "filter": {
      "title": "Hidden Shadows of the Past",
      "author": "John Anthony"
    },
    "update": {
        "$set": {
          "rating": 4.5,
          "genres": ["Fiction", "Drama"]
        },
        "$unset": {
            "borrower": ""
        }
    }
  }
}'

Unsupported operators

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

  • $currentDate isn’t supported.

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

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