Difference Between insert(), insertOne(), and insertMany() in Pymongo (original) (raw)
Last Updated : 1 Jul, 2025
In PyMongo, inserting documents into a MongoDB collection can be done using different methods. Earlier versions used the **insert() method, but it is now **deprecated.
The recommended and modern approach is to use:
- **insert_one(): to insert a single document
- **insert_many(): to insert multiple documents
These methods provide better control, error handling and clarity.
insert() method
**insert() method was originally used in older versions of PyMongo to insert both single and multiple documents into a collection. It automatically handled either a single dictionary or a list of dictionaries.
Syntax:
collection.insert(document)
collection.insert([document1, document2, ...])
**Parameter: document representing dictionary or list of dictionaries.
Example:
Python `
from pymongo import MongoClient
myclient = MongoClient("mongodb://localhost:27017/")
db = myclient["GFG"]
collection = db["College"]
mylist = [ { "_id": 1, "name": "Vishwash", "Roll No": "1001", "Branch":"CSE"}, { "_id": 2, "name": "Vishesh", "Roll No": "1002", "Branch":"IT"}, { "_id": 3, "name": "Shivam", "Roll No": "1003", "Branch":"ME"}, { "_id": 4, "name": "Yash", "Roll No": "1004", "Branch":"ECE"}, ]
collection.insert(mylist)
`
**Output
insert_one() method
**insert_one() method is used to insert a single document (i.e., one record) into a collection. Automatically adds a unique **_id field if not provided.
Syntax:
collection.insert_one(document)
**Parameter: single dictionary representing the document to be inserted into the collection.
Example:
Python `
from pymongo import MongoClient
myclient = MongoClient("mongodb://localhost:27017/")
db = myclient["GFG"]
collection = db["Student"]
record = { "_id": 5, "name": "Raju", "Roll No": "1005", "Branch": "CSE"}
rec_id1 = collection.insert_one(record)
`
**Output
insert_many() method
**insert_many() method is used to insert multiple documents into a collection at once. Instead of calling insert_one() repeatedly for each document, insert_many() allows inserting a list of documents efficiently in a single operation.
Syntax:
collection.insert_many([doc1, doc2, doc3,....])
**Parameter: [doc1, doc2, doc3,....] represents a list of dictionary to be inserted into the collection.
Example:
Python `
from pymongo import MongoClient
myclient = MongoClient("mongodb://localhost:27017/")
db = myclient["GFG"]
collection = db["College"]
mylist = [ { "_id": 6, "name": "Deepanshu", "Roll No": "1006", "Branch":"CSE"}, { "_id": 7, "name": "Anshul", "Roll No": "1007", "Branch":"IT"} ]
collection.insert_many(mylist)
`
**Output
Difference between insert(), insert_one() and insert_many()
| insert() | insert_one() | insert_many() |
|---|---|---|
| Pymongo equivalent command is insert() | Pymongo equivalent command is insert_one() | Pymongo equivalent command is insert_many() |
| Deprecated in newer versions of mongo engine | Used in newer versions of mongo engine | Used in newer versions of mongo engine |
| Single or multiple document can be inserted | Only one document can be inserted | Multiple documents (list of dictionary) can be inserted |
| Throws errors for write issues and write concern problems. | Throws errors for write issues and write concern problems. | Shows an error if there's a problem inserting multiple documents. |
| Compatible with db.collection.explain() to understand how MongoDB processes it internally | Not compatible with db.collection.explain() | Not compatible with db.collection.explain() |
| If ordered is True, MongoDB stops inserting when an error occurs.If ordered is False, it tries to insert all documents, even if some fail. | If a document has an error, it won't be inserted. | If ordered is True, insertion stops on error. If False, remaining documents are still inserted. |
| Returns an object with the operation's status. | Returns the inserted document's ID. | Returns IDs of inserted documents |
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