Coding⏱️ 2 min read📅 2026-06-03

How to Fix: How do I update an entity using spring-data-jpa?

Update an entity using Spring Data JPA repository

Quick Answer: Use the @Modifying method to specify update operations, or create a custom query to update the entity.

To update an entity using Spring Data JPA, you need to use the save method of your repository interface and specify the entity you want to update by its identifier. The save method will check if the entity already exists in the database and perform a create operation if it doesn't exist, or a update operation if it does.

🛑 Root Causes of the Error

  • Using only the save method without specifying the entity identifier.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Verified Fixes

Method 1: Using the save method with entity identifier

  1. Step 1: Create a custom repository interface that extends from JpaRepository and add the @Modifying annotation to specify the update operation.

Method 2: Using the @Modifier method from Spring Data JPA

  1. Step 1: Use the @Modifying annotation on your repository interface to specify that you want to perform an update operation.

✨ Wrapping Up

By following these steps, you should be able to successfully update your entity using Spring Data JPA. Always make sure to specify the entity identifier when using the save method to avoid confusion between create and update operations.

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