---
title: "Triggers in SQLite"  
description: "Triggers Triggers in SQLite database are the database callback functions which are invoked or performed whenever a specified database event occurs. S"  
author: "Prateek sharma"  
published: 2018-01-25  
updated: 2018-01-25  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/blog/11671/triggers-in-sqlite  
category: "android apps"  
tags: ["android", "sqlite"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# Triggers in SQLite

**[Triggers](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/337000/what-are-sql-triggers-and-ways-of-using-them-effectively)**

Triggers in [SQLite database](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/1554/crud-operation-in-asp-dot-net-using-sqlite-database) are the database [callback](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/152/using-the-callback) [functions](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/160140/explain-the-role-of-functions-as-a-service-faas-in-serverless-computing) which are invoked or performed whenever a specified database event occurs. Some of the important points regarding triggers are as followed –

- SQLite triggers may be triggered at the time when INSERT, DELETE or UPDATE query is fired on one or more specified columns of the table.
- At present SQLite [supports](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/12043/how-to-create-a-killer-mobile-app-that-supports-your-brand) triggers only for, FOR EACH ROW not for, FOR EACH STATEMENT.
- The BEFORE and AFTER keyword in triggers are used to specify when the trigger action needs to be performed [relative](https://www.mindstick.com/interview/33881/overview-of-relative-absolute-fixed-and-sticky-positioning-in-css) to insertion, modification or deletion of a specific row.
- A trigger automatically dropped whenever a table associated with that trigger is dropped.
- If an [exception](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/1824/objective-c-exception-handling) to be raised, use of an SQL [function](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/13001/multi-statement-table-valued-user-defined-function-in-sql-server) RAISE() is used.

A trigger can be written in the following way –

```
CREATE TRIGGER trigger_name [BEFORE|AFTER] event_name
ON table_name
BEGIN
 ----logic goes here----
END;
```

\

Here, event_name can be anything such as **INSERT**, **DELETE** or **UPDATE** database [operation](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/33917/how-to-callback-operation-using-delegate-in-c-sharp) as mention on the table_name.

Let's take an example to understand triggers -

Let's create a table named **COMPANY** –

```
CREATE TABLE COMPANY(
   ID INT PRIMARY KEY NOT NULL,
   NAME TEXT NOT NULL,
   AGE INT NOT NULL,
   ADDRESS CHAR(50),
   SALARY REAL
);
```

To keep the trigger record we will create another table named AUDIT, such that whenever a new entry is inserted into the COMPANY table the log is recorded in the **AUDIT** table.

```
CREATE TABLE AUDIT(
   EMP_ID INT NOT NULL,
   ENTRY_DATE TEXT NOT NULL
);
```

\

We need to create the trigger for **insert** operation such that whenever the insertion is performed it records the value.

```
CREATE TRIGGER audit_log AFTER INSERT
ON COMPANY
BEGIN
   INSERT INTO AUDIT(EMP_ID, ENTRY_DATE) VALUES (new.ID, datetime('now'));
END;
```

Let’s insert some record in the COMPANY table –

```
INSERT INTO COMPANY (ID,NAME,AGE,ADDRESS,SALARY)
VALUES (1, 'Paul', 32, 'California', 20000.00 );
```

\

Now the trigger will be fired and it records the value –

```
EMP_ID ENTRY_DATE
---------- -------------------
1 2013-04-05 06:26:00
```

\

---

Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/blog/11671/triggers-in-sqlite

Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.