What is the difference between Execute Scalar , Execute Reader and ExecuteNonQuery?

Question

what are the different cases when we use these three.where should I use one and where should not?

Answer 1

Each one is a different type execution.

• ExecuteScalar is going to be the type of query which will be returning a single value. An example would be selecting a count of the number of active users.

• ExecuteReader gives you a data reader back which will allow you to read all of the columns of the results a row at a time. An example would be getting all of the information for each user in the system so you could display that information.

• ExecuteNonQuery is any SQL which isn't returning values really, but is actually performing some form of work like inserting deleting or modifying something. An example would be updating a user's personal information in the database.

Answer 2

• ExecuteScalar is typically used when your query returns a single value. If it returns more, then the result is the first column of the first row. An example might be SELECT @@IDENTITY AS 'Identity'.
• ExecuteReader is used for any result set with multiple rows/columns (e.g., SELECT col1, col2 from sometable).
• ExecuteNonQuery is typically used for SQL statements without results (e.g., UPDATE, INSERT, etc.).

Answer 3

From the docs (note: MSDN is a handy resource when you want to know what things do!):

ExecuteScalar

Use the ExecuteScalar method to retrieve a single value (for example, an aggregate value) from a database. This requires less code than using the ExecuteReader method, and then performing the operations that you need to generate the single value using the data returned by a SqlDataReader.

ExecuteReader

Sends the CommandText to the Connection and builds a SqlDataReader.

... and from SqlDataReader ...

Provides a way of reading a forward-only stream of rows from a SQL Server database. This class cannot be inherited.

ExecuteNonQuery

You can use the ExecuteNonQuery to perform catalog operations (for example, querying the structure of a database or creating database objects such as tables), or to change the data in a database without using a DataSet by executing UPDATE, INSERT, or DELETE statements.

Answer 4

To add to what others posted:

ExecuteScalar conceptually returns the leftmost column from the first row of the resultset from the query; you could ExecuteScalar a SELECT * FROM staff, but you'd only get the first cell of the resulting rows Typically used for queries that return a single value. I'm not 100% sure about SQLServer but in Oracle, you wouldnt use it to run a FUNCTION (a database code that returns a single value) and expect it to give you the return value of the function even though functions return single values.. However, if youre running the function as part of a query, e.g. SELECT SUBSTR('abc', 1, 1) FROM DUAL then it would give the return value by virtue of the fact that the return value is stored in the top leftmost cell of the resulting rowset

ExecuteNonQuery would be used to run database stored procedures, functions and queries that modify data (INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE) or modify database structure (CREATE TABLE...). Typically the return value of the call is an indication of how many rows were affected by the operation but check the DB documentation to guarantee this