> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://upstash.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# LINSERT

> Insert before or after pivot.

Use `LINSERT` to insert an element immediately before or after another element of a list.

The pivot is matched by value, and only its first occurrence starting from the head is used. The reply is the new length of the list, `0` when the key does not exist, and `-1` when the pivot value was not found, which is how you tell a failed insert from a successful one.

Finding the pivot means scanning the list, so this is a linear operation; on long lists it is worth keeping an index elsewhere or using a sorted set instead.

## Syntax

```redis theme={"system"}
LINSERT <key> (BEFORE | AFTER) <pivot> <element>
```

## Arguments

| Argument            | Required | Repeatable | Description                                                                |
| ------------------- | -------- | ---------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `<key>`             | Yes      | No         | Redis key targeted by the command.                                         |
| `(BEFORE \| AFTER)` | Yes      | No         | Where to place the new element relative to the pivot: `BEFORE` or `AFTER`. |
| `<pivot>`           | Yes      | No         | Existing element to insert next to.                                        |
| `<element>`         | Yes      | No         | Element to insert.                                                         |

## Response

The reply reports the result of the operation. Error replies have the same shape in RESP2 and RESP3 and are surfaced as exceptions by the SDKs below.

| Protocol | Reply                                                                                                    |
| -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| RESP2    | Integer: the list length after insertion, `-1` if the pivot was not found, `0` if the key does not exist |
| RESP3    | Integer: the list length after insertion, `-1` if the pivot was not found, `0` if the key does not exist |

<Note>
  Client libraries often decode bulk strings, maps, sets, and numeric strings into language-native values. The table describes the Redis wire reply.
</Note>

## Examples

TCP examples use the TLS `REDIS_URL` from the Upstash console. REST examples use `UPSTASH_REDIS_REST_URL` and `UPSTASH_REDIS_REST_TOKEN`.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Redis CLI" icon="terminal">
    ```bash theme={"system"}
    LINSERT my-key BEFORE pivot element
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="@upstash/redis" icon="node-js" iconType="brands">
    ```ts theme={"system"}
    import { Redis } from "@upstash/redis";

    const redis = Redis.fromEnv();

    await redis.rpush("key", "a", "b", "c");
    await redis.linsert("key", "before", "b", "x");
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="upstash_redis" icon="python" iconType="brands">
    ```python theme={"system"}
    from upstash_redis import Redis

    redis = Redis.from_env()
    result = redis.linsert("my-key", "BEFORE", "pivot", "element")
    print(result)
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="ioredis" icon="node-js" iconType="brands">
    ```ts theme={"system"}
    import Redis from "ioredis";

    const redis = new Redis(process.env.REDIS_URL!);
    const result = await redis.linsert("my-key", "BEFORE", "pivot", "element");
    console.log(result);
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="node-redis" icon="node-js" iconType="brands">
    ```ts theme={"system"}
    import { createClient } from "redis";

    const client = await createClient({ url: process.env.REDIS_URL })
      .on("error", console.error)
      .connect();
    const result = await client.lInsert("my-key", "BEFORE", "pivot", "element");
    console.log(result);
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="redis-py" icon="python" iconType="brands">
    ```python theme={"system"}
    import os
    import redis

    client = redis.from_url(os.environ["REDIS_URL"])
    result = client.linsert("my-key", "BEFORE", "pivot", "element")
    print(result)
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="go-redis" icon="golang" iconType="brands">
    ```go theme={"system"}
    package main

    import (
        "context"
        "fmt"
        "os"

        "github.com/redis/go-redis/v9"
    )

    func main() {
        opts, err := redis.ParseURL(os.Getenv("REDIS_URL"))
        if err != nil {
            panic(err)
        }
        client := redis.NewClient(opts)
        result, err := client.LInsertBefore(context.Background(), "my-key", "pivot", "element").Result()
        if err != nil {
            panic(err)
        }
        fmt.Println(result)
    }
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="jedis" icon="java" iconType="brands">
    ```java theme={"system"}
    import java.net.URI;

    import redis.clients.jedis.Jedis;

    try (Jedis jedis = new Jedis(new URI(System.getenv("REDIS_URL")))) {
      Object result = jedis.linsert("my-key", redis.clients.jedis.args.ListPosition.BEFORE, "pivot", "element");
      System.out.println(result);
    }
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="redis-rs" icon="rust" iconType="brands">
    ```rust theme={"system"}
    use redis::TypedCommands;

    fn main() -> redis::RedisResult<()> {
        let url = std::env::var("REDIS_URL").expect("REDIS_URL is not set");
        let client = redis::Client::open(url)?;
        let mut connection = client.get_connection()?;

        let result = connection.linsert_before("my-key", "pivot", "element")?;
        println!("{result:?}");
        Ok(())
    }
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>


## Related topics

- [LINSERT](/docs/redis/sdks/py/commands/list/linsert.md)
- [Overview](/docs/redis/sdks/py/commands/overview.md)