Row update return:true responds with rows list, matching insert/upsert

Row update previously returned a singular "row" object where insert and
upsert return a "rows" list. All write endpoints now use "rows".

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01GrHZSypDfMnym1tM5XJAFZ

datasette/views/row.py

@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@ class RowUpdateView(BaseView):
                 resolved.sql, resolved.params, truncate=True
             )
             returned_row = results.dicts()[0]
-            result["row"] = returned_row
+            result["rows"] = [returned_row]
 
         await self.ds.track_event(
             UpdateRowEvent(

docs/json_api.rst

@@ -1955,11 +1955,13 @@ The returned JSON will look like this:
 
     {
         "ok": true,
-        "row": {
-            "id": 1,
-            "title": "New title",
-            "other_column": "Will be present here too"
-        }
+        "rows": [
+            {
+                "id": 1,
+                "title": "New title",
+                "other_column": "Will be present here too"
+            }
+        ]
     }
 
 Any errors will use the :ref:`standard error format <json_api_errors>`, with a ``400`` status code for a bad input or a ``403`` status code for an authentication or permission error.

existing-api.md

@@ -958,8 +958,8 @@ does not change the SQLite schema.
   `"Invalid keys: ..."`; write failures (bad column, constraint violation) →
   400 with the message.
 - **Response** — 200 `{"ok": true}`; with `return: true`,
-  `{"ok": true, "row": {...}}` (singular `row`, unlike insert/upsert's
-  `rows`). Emits `update-row`.
+  `{"ok": true, "rows": [{...}]}` — a single-item list, matching
+  insert/upsert. Emits `update-row`.
 
 ### POST /\<database\>/\<table\>/\<pks\>/-/delete
 

stable-api-recommendations.md

@@ -160,10 +160,11 @@ Endpoints disagree about the success envelope:
   (index.py:147-161); `/-/databases.json` returns an **array**; the database
   page returns `tables` as an array. Choose arrays-of-objects everywhere
   (objects-keyed-by-name break when names need ordering or pagination).
-- Insert/upsert with `return: true` respond with `rows` (plural, list); row
+- ~~Insert/upsert with `return: true` respond with `rows` (plural, list); row
   update with `return: true` responds with `row` (singular, object)
   (views/row.py:837-844). Pick one (`rows` everywhere, even for one row,
-  matches the read API).
+  matches the read API).~~ ✅ **Done** — row update now returns
+  `rows: [{...}]`.
 
 ### 2b. `_extra`/`_shape` support is uneven (P2)
 

tests/test_api_write.py

@@ -1481,9 +1481,9 @@ async def test_update_row(ds_write, input, expected_errors, use_return):
 
     assert response.json()["ok"] is True
     if not use_return:
-        assert "row" not in response.json()
+        assert "rows" not in response.json()
     else:
-        returned_row = response.json()["row"]
+        returned_row = response.json()["rows"][0]
         assert returned_row["id"] == pk
         for k, v in input.items():
             assert returned_row[k] == v

tests/test_error_shape.py

@@ -507,3 +507,27 @@ async def test_query_html_without_sql_is_still_the_editor(ds_client):
     response = await ds_client.get("/fixtures/-/query")
     assert response.status_code == 200
     assert response.headers["content-type"].startswith("text/html")
+
+
+# Write API return:true responses use "rows" consistently
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_row_update_return_uses_rows_list(ds_error_shape):
+    await ds_error_shape.client.post(
+        "/data/docs/-/insert",
+        json={"row": {"id": 1, "title": "One"}},
+        headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
+        actor={"id": "root"},
+    )
+    response = await ds_error_shape.client.post(
+        "/data/docs/1/-/update",
+        json={"update": {"title": "Updated"}, "return": True},
+        headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
+        actor={"id": "root"},
+    )
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    data = response.json()
+    assert data["ok"] is True
+    assert "row" not in data
+    assert data["rows"] == [{"id": 1, "title": "Updated"}]

tests/test_table_html.py

@@ -1629,7 +1629,7 @@ async def test_row_update_sets_message():
             json={"update": {"name": long_name}, "return": True},
         )
         assert response.status_code == 200
-        assert response.json()["row"]["name"] == long_name
+        assert response.json()["rows"][0]["name"] == long_name
         assert ds.unsign(response.cookies["ds_messages"], "messages") == [
             ["Updated row 1 ({})".format(truncated_name), ds.INFO]
         ]