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31 lines
1.3 KiB
Markdown
31 lines
1.3 KiB
Markdown
# Update Column Versus Update Attribute
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Rails offers a whole variety of methods for making updates to the ActiveRecord
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objects in your app. Two unique, infrequently-used ones are
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[`#update_column`](https://devdocs.io/rails~5.2/activerecord/persistence#method-i-update_column)
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and
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[`#update_attribute`](https://devdocs.io/rails~5.2/activerecord/persistence#method-i-update_attribute).
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What is unique about them is that they are both ways of updating a record while
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skipping the validations defined on the model.
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So, how do they differ?
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A call to `#update_attribute` is still going to trigger any callbacks defined
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on the model and it will touch the `update_at` column. On the other hand,
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`#update_column` can be thought of as a way of directly interacting with the
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database -- callbacks are skipped and you are truly only touching the specified
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column, `updated_at` is left as is.
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The docs have this recommendation for `#update_attribute`:
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> This is especially useful for boolean flags on existing records.
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And for `#update_column`, they say this:
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> This is the fastest way to update attributes because it goes straight to the
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> database, but take into account that in consequence the regular update
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> procedures are totally bypassed.
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These are both useful in specific situations, but be sure to know their
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differences and to use them with caution.
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