grammar+db: 3e — SQL UPDATE grammar + execution (ADR-0033 §2)

New src/dsl/grammar/sql_update.rs: SQL_UPDATE_SHAPE =
<table> SET col = sql_expr (',' …)* [WHERE sql_expr] [';'], the
__rdbms_* target rejection, and the shared sql_expr on both the
assignment RHS and the predicate. No --all-rows rail — a SQL
UPDATE without WHERE runs as written (ADR-0030 §12). Reuses
sql_select::WHERE_CLAUSE (now pub(crate)) so the predicate
diagnostics are identical. The target uses the shared `table_name`
ident role (not a bespoke one) so the Phase-2 schema-existence and
predicate-warning passes collect it as a scope binding and check
the SET / WHERE columns for free — a bespoke role left them
unchecked (the cross-cut tests caught this).

Command::SqlUpdate { sql, target_table }; Request::RunSqlUpdate +
do_sql_update (execute validated SQL via execute_with_fk_enrichment,
re-persist the target CSV, append history.log). 3e surfaces the
affected-row count only; precise row output is RETURNING (3g), so
the update-success render skips a column-less data set rather than
showing a misleading "(no rows)" band. Behind the dev `sql_update`
entry word until 3j.

Tests: grammar accept/reject; integration (single/multi-col,
no-WHERE all-rows, sql_expr in SET, scalar subquery in SET,
zero-match success, history); walker cross-cut (unknown SET column
→ unknown_column, `= NULL` in WHERE → eq_null warning); app-level
render-guard both ways (column-less → count only; with columns →
table renders). 1524 green, clippy clean.

src/app.rs

@@ -1251,8 +1251,14 @@ impl App {
     fn handle_dsl_update_success(&mut self, command: &Command, result: &UpdateResult) {
         self.note_ok_summary(command);
         self.note_system(crate::t!("ok.rows_updated", count = result.rows_affected));
-        for line in crate::output_render::render_data_table(&result.data) {
-            self.note_system(line);
+        // A column-less result carries no rows to tabulate (the SQL
+        // UPDATE path before `RETURNING`, ADR-0033 sub-phase 3e):
+        // surface just the count rather than a misleading
+        // "(no rows)" band. The DSL UPDATE always has columns.
+        if !result.data.columns.is_empty() {
+            for line in crate::output_render::render_data_table(&result.data) {
+                self.note_system(line);
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -1474,6 +1480,11 @@ impl App {
             C::SqlInsert { target_table, .. } => {
                 (Operation::Insert, Some(target_table.as_str()), None)
             }
+            // A SQL `UPDATE` (ADR-0033 §2) — route engine errors
+            // through the update operation with the parsed target.
+            C::SqlUpdate { target_table, .. } => {
+                (Operation::Update, Some(target_table.as_str()), None)
+            }
             C::Replay { .. } => (Operation::Replay, None, None),
             // An `explain` failure (e.g. unknown table) is best
             // described by the wrapped query it failed to plan.
@@ -3336,4 +3347,64 @@ mod tests {
             Some(crate::dsl::walker::Severity::Warning),
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn sql_update_success_shows_count_without_no_rows_band() {
+        // ADR-0033 sub-phase 3e: a SQL UPDATE returns a column-less
+        // result (precise rows are RETURNING, 3g). The render must
+        // surface the affected-row count and NOT a misleading
+        // "(no rows)" table band.
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.update(AppEvent::DslUpdateSucceeded {
+            command: Command::SqlUpdate {
+                sql: "update t set v = 1".to_string(),
+                target_table: "t".to_string(),
+            },
+            result: crate::db::UpdateResult {
+                rows_affected: 2,
+                data: crate::db::DataResult {
+                    table_name: "t".to_string(),
+                    columns: Vec::new(),
+                    column_types: Vec::new(),
+                    rows: Vec::new(),
+                },
+            },
+        });
+        let texts: Vec<String> = app.output.iter().map(|l| l.text.clone()).collect();
+        assert!(
+            texts.iter().any(|t| t.contains("2 row(s) updated")),
+            "affected-row count surfaced: {texts:?}",
+        );
+        assert!(
+            !texts.iter().any(|t| t.contains("(no rows)")),
+            "no misleading empty-table band: {texts:?}",
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn update_success_with_columns_renders_the_table() {
+        // The guard only suppresses a column-less result: a result
+        // carrying columns (the DSL UPDATE path) still renders.
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.update(AppEvent::DslUpdateSucceeded {
+            command: Command::SqlUpdate {
+                sql: "update t set v = 1".to_string(),
+                target_table: "t".to_string(),
+            },
+            result: crate::db::UpdateResult {
+                rows_affected: 1,
+                data: crate::db::DataResult {
+                    table_name: "t".to_string(),
+                    columns: vec!["id".to_string(), "v".to_string()],
+                    column_types: vec![Some(Type::Int), Some(Type::Int)],
+                    rows: vec![vec![Some("1".to_string()), Some("9".to_string())]],
+                },
+            },
+        });
+        let texts: Vec<String> = app.output.iter().map(|l| l.text.clone()).collect();
+        assert!(
+            texts.iter().any(|t| t.contains("id") && t.contains('v')),
+            "header row rendered: {texts:?}",
+        );
+    }
 }

src/db.rs

@@ -595,6 +595,16 @@ enum Request {
         row_source: String,
         reply: oneshot::Sender<Result<InsertResult, DbError>>,
     },
+    /// Run a grammar-validated SQL `UPDATE` (ADR-0033 §2). The
+    /// worker executes `sql` as text, re-persists `target_table`'s
+    /// CSV (ADR-0030 §11), and appends the literal line to
+    /// `history.log`.
+    RunSqlUpdate {
+        sql: String,
+        source: Option<String>,
+        target_table: String,
+        reply: oneshot::Sender<Result<UpdateResult, DbError>>,
+    },
     /// Capture the query plan for an explainable command via
     /// `EXPLAIN QUERY PLAN` (ADR-0028 §2). `query` is the inner
     /// `ShowData` / `Update` / `Delete`; `EXPLAIN QUERY PLAN`
@@ -1078,6 +1088,28 @@ impl Database {
         recv.await.map_err(|_| DbError::WorkerGone)?
     }
 
+    /// Run a validated SQL `UPDATE` and return the affected-row
+    /// count (ADR-0033 §2, sub-phase 3e). `sql` is the
+    /// grammar-validated statement text; `source` is the literal
+    /// submitted line for `history.log`; `target_table` is the
+    /// parsed target whose CSV is re-persisted.
+    pub async fn run_sql_update(
+        &self,
+        sql: String,
+        source: Option<String>,
+        target_table: String,
+    ) -> Result<UpdateResult, DbError> {
+        let (reply, recv) = oneshot::channel();
+        self.send(Request::RunSqlUpdate {
+            sql,
+            source,
+            target_table,
+            reply,
+        })
+        .await?;
+        recv.await.map_err(|_| DbError::WorkerGone)?
+    }
+
     /// Capture the query plan for an explainable command
     /// (ADR-0028 §2). The wrapped command is not executed —
     /// `EXPLAIN QUERY PLAN` only inspects how the engine would
@@ -1541,6 +1573,20 @@ fn handle_request(conn: &Connection, persistence: Option<&Persistence>, req: Req
                 &row_source,
             ));
         }
+        Request::RunSqlUpdate {
+            sql,
+            source,
+            target_table,
+            reply,
+        } => {
+            let _ = reply.send(do_sql_update(
+                conn,
+                persistence,
+                source.as_deref(),
+                &sql,
+                &target_table,
+            ));
+        }
         Request::RebuildFromText {
             project_path,
             source,
@@ -5975,6 +6021,54 @@ fn do_sql_insert(
     })
 }
 
+/// Worker handler for `Request::RunSqlUpdate` (ADR-0033 §2,
+/// sub-phase 3e). Mirrors `do_sql_insert`'s persistence
+/// discipline: run the validated SQL inside a transaction,
+/// re-persist the target table's CSV + append `history.log` via
+/// `finalize_persistence` *before* `tx.commit()`, then commit.
+///
+/// Grammar-as-text (ADR-0030 §4): the assignment and predicate
+/// values are literals in `sql`, so no parameters are bound. A SQL
+/// `UPDATE` without `WHERE` runs across all rows as written
+/// (ADR-0030 §12 — no `--all-rows` rail). An update matching zero
+/// rows is a success (`rows_affected == 0`); the persistence
+/// write-through still runs (re-persisting the unchanged CSV is a
+/// no-op-equivalent and keeps the path uniform).
+///
+/// Auto-show: 3e returns an empty [`DataResult`] — the affected
+/// rows can't be shown precisely without `RETURNING` (sub-phase
+/// 3g, which is the precise tool). The summary surfaces the
+/// affected-row count; the renderer skips the (column-less) table.
+fn do_sql_update(
+    conn: &Connection,
+    persistence: Option<&Persistence>,
+    source: Option<&str>,
+    sql: &str,
+    target_table: &str,
+) -> Result<UpdateResult, DbError> {
+    debug!(sql = %sql, table = %target_table, "sql_update");
+    let tx = conn
+        .unchecked_transaction()
+        .map_err(DbError::from_rusqlite)?;
+    let rows_affected = execute_with_fk_enrichment(conn, target_table, sql, &[])?;
+    let changes = Changes {
+        schema_dirty: false,
+        rewritten_tables: vec![target_table.to_string()],
+        ..Changes::default()
+    };
+    finalize_persistence(conn, persistence, source, &changes)?;
+    tx.commit().map_err(DbError::from_rusqlite)?;
+    Ok(UpdateResult {
+        rows_affected,
+        data: DataResult {
+            table_name: target_table.to_string(),
+            columns: Vec::new(),
+            column_types: Vec::new(),
+            rows: Vec::new(),
+        },
+    })
+}
+
 /// Execute a grammar-validated SQL `SELECT` and collect its
 /// rows into a [`DataResult`] (ADR-0030 §6, ADR-0032 §12 +
 /// Amendment 1).

src/dsl/command.rs

@@ -312,6 +312,14 @@ pub enum Command {
         listed_columns: Vec<String>,
         row_source: String,
     },
+    /// A SQL `UPDATE` validated by the walker (ADR-0033 §2,
+    /// advanced mode). Grammar-as-text: the worker executes `sql`
+    /// and re-persists `target_table`'s CSV (ADR-0030 §11).
+    /// `RETURNING` (3g) is added by the sub-phase that reads it.
+    SqlUpdate {
+        sql: String,
+        target_table: String,
+    },
     /// App-lifecycle command (per ADR-0003). These work in both
     /// simple and advanced modes; the dispatcher branches on the
     /// `Command::App(...)` variant before mode-specific routing.
@@ -608,6 +616,7 @@ impl Command {
             Self::Explain { .. } => "explain",
             Self::Select { .. } => "select",
             Self::SqlInsert { .. } => "insert into",
+            Self::SqlUpdate { .. } => "update",
             Self::App(app) => match app {
                 AppCommand::Quit => "quit",
                 AppCommand::Help => "help",
@@ -677,7 +686,8 @@ impl Command {
             Self::Select { .. } => "",
             // A SQL `INSERT` carries its parsed target table (for
             // CSV re-persistence and ok-summary subject).
-            Self::SqlInsert { target_table, .. } => target_table,
+            Self::SqlInsert { target_table, .. }
+            | Self::SqlUpdate { target_table, .. } => target_table,
             // App commands aren't tied to schema entities — the
             // verb is the most identifying thing. The
             // display_subject override below provides a richer

src/dsl/grammar/data.rs

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ use crate::dsl::command::{Command, Expr, RowFilter};
 use crate::dsl::grammar::{
     CommandNode, IdentSource, Node, NumberValidator, ValidationError, Word, expr,
     shared::{column_value_list, current_column_value},
-    sql_insert, sql_select,
+    sql_insert, sql_select, sql_update,
 };
 use crate::dsl::walker::context::WalkContext;
 use crate::dsl::value::Value;
@@ -923,6 +923,35 @@ fn build_sql_insert(path: &MatchedPath, source: &str) -> Result<Command, Validat
     })
 }
 
+/// Build `Command::SqlUpdate` from a validated SQL `UPDATE`
+/// (ADR-0033 §2, sub-phase 3e). Extracts the target table from the
+/// matched path so the worker re-persists the right CSV.
+///
+/// Dev-scaffold detail: the entry word is `sql_update` (not valid
+/// SQL), so the statement is reconstructed as `update` + the
+/// matched tail. Sub-phase 3j wires the real `update` entry word,
+/// at which point this collapses to `source.trim()`.
+fn build_sql_update(path: &MatchedPath, source: &str) -> Result<Command, ValidationError> {
+    // The UPDATE target is the first `table_name` ident (it
+    // precedes any table referenced inside a SET / WHERE subquery).
+    let target_table = path
+        .items
+        .iter()
+        .find_map(|item| match item.kind {
+            MatchedKind::Ident {
+                role: "table_name", ..
+            } => Some(item.text.clone()),
+            _ => None,
+        })
+        .unwrap_or_default();
+    let tail = path
+        .items
+        .first()
+        .map_or(source, |entry| &source[entry.span.1..]);
+    let sql = format!("update {}", tail.trim());
+    Ok(Command::SqlUpdate { sql, target_table })
+}
+
 // =================================================================
 // CommandNodes
 // =================================================================
@@ -1016,6 +1045,22 @@ pub static SQL_INSERT: CommandNode = CommandNode {
     usage_ids: &[],
 };
 
+/// SQL `UPDATE` development scaffold (ADR-0033 sub-phase 3e).
+///
+/// Registered under the temporary entry word `sql_update` so the
+/// SQL UPDATE grammar and execution path can be exercised in
+/// isolation, WITHOUT yet making `update` a shared DSL/SQL entry
+/// word. Sharing `update` is sub-phase 3j. This scaffold (entry
+/// word + reconstruction in `build_sql_update`) is removed when 3j
+/// wires the real `update` entry word.
+pub static SQL_UPDATE: CommandNode = CommandNode {
+    entry: Word::keyword("sql_update"),
+    shape: Node::Subgrammar(&sql_update::SQL_UPDATE_SHAPE),
+    ast_builder: build_sql_update,
+    help_id: None,
+    usage_ids: &[],
+};
+
 // =================================================================
 // Tests — `explain` grammar (ADR-0028 §1)
 // =================================================================

src/dsl/grammar/mod.rs

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ pub mod shared;
 pub mod sql_expr;
 pub mod sql_insert;
 pub mod sql_select;
+pub mod sql_update;
 
 use crate::dsl::command::Command;
 use crate::dsl::walker::context::WalkContext;
@@ -575,6 +576,10 @@ pub static REGISTRY: &[(&CommandNode, CommandCategory)] = &[
     // temporary `sqlinsert` entry word keeps it isolated from the
     // DSL `insert` word until 3j wires the shared entry.
     (&data::SQL_INSERT, CommandCategory::Advanced),
+    // SQL UPDATE development scaffold (sub-phase 3e); the temporary
+    // `sql_update` entry word keeps it isolated from the DSL
+    // `update` word until 3j wires the shared entry.
+    (&data::SQL_UPDATE, CommandCategory::Advanced),
 ];
 
 /// Whether `entry` names an advanced-mode-only command (ADR-0030

src/dsl/grammar/sql_select.rs

@@ -461,7 +461,10 @@ static WHERE_CLAUSE_NODES: &[Node] = &[
     Node::Word(Word::keyword("where")),
     Node::Subgrammar(&sql_expr::SQL_OR_EXPR),
 ];
-static WHERE_CLAUSE: Node = Node::Seq(WHERE_CLAUSE_NODES);
+/// `WHERE sql_expr`. `pub(crate)` so the SQL DML statements
+/// (ADR-0033 — UPDATE / DELETE) reuse the exact same predicate
+/// clause, keeping the Phase-2 predicate diagnostics identical.
+pub(crate) static WHERE_CLAUSE: Node = Node::Seq(WHERE_CLAUSE_NODES);
 
 static GROUP_BY_CLAUSE_NODES: &[Node] = &[
     Node::Word(Word::keyword("group")),

src/dsl/grammar/sql_update.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,175 @@
+//! SQL `UPDATE` grammar (ADR-0033 §2, sub-phase 3e).
+//!
+//! Grammar-as-text (ADR-0030 §4): the walker validates that the
+//! `UPDATE` is in the supported subset; the worker executes the
+//! validated SQL text and re-persists the target table's CSV
+//! (ADR-0030 §11). The shape here is the post-`UPDATE` portion —
+//! the entry-word dispatch consumes the leading `UPDATE` keyword
+//! before this shape walks (mirroring `sql_insert::SQL_INSERT_SHAPE`,
+//! where the dev `sqlinsert` word stands in for `INSERT`).
+//!
+//! Scope (3e): `<table> SET assignment_list [ WHERE … ]`, the
+//! `__rdbms_*` target rejection, and the shared `sql_expr` on both
+//! the assignment RHS and the WHERE predicate. There is no
+//! `--all-rows` rail — a SQL `UPDATE` without `WHERE` runs as
+//! written (ADR-0030 §12). `RETURNING` (3g) lands later.
+
+use crate::dsl::grammar::sql_expr;
+use crate::dsl::grammar::sql_select::{WHERE_CLAUSE, reject_internal_table};
+use crate::dsl::grammar::{IdentSource, Node, Word};
+
+static COMMA: Node = Node::Punct(',');
+
+/// The `UPDATE` target table. `__rdbms_*` rejected (ADR-0030 §6 /
+/// ADR-0033 §1). `writes_table` populates `current_table` /
+/// `current_table_columns` so the `SET` columns and the WHERE
+/// predicate get column completion against the target.
+///
+/// Uses the shared `table_name` role (not a bespoke one) so the
+/// Phase-2 schema-existence + predicate-warning passes collect it
+/// as a scope binding and check the SET / WHERE columns against it
+/// for free (ADR-0033 §2's "cross-cut from Phase-2 machinery").
+const TARGET_TABLE: Node = Node::Ident {
+    source: IdentSource::Tables,
+    role: "table_name",
+    validator: Some(reject_internal_table),
+    highlight_override: None,
+    writes_table: true,
+    writes_column: false,
+    writes_user_listed_column: false,
+    writes_table_alias: false,
+    writes_cte_name: false,
+    writes_projection_alias: false,
+};
+
+/// The column on the left of one `SET col = expr` assignment.
+const ASSIGN_COLUMN: Node = Node::Ident {
+    source: IdentSource::Columns,
+    role: "update_set_column",
+    validator: None,
+    highlight_override: None,
+    writes_table: false,
+    writes_column: false,
+    writes_user_listed_column: false,
+    writes_table_alias: false,
+    writes_cte_name: false,
+    writes_projection_alias: false,
+};
+
+/// `column_name '=' sql_expr` — the RHS reuses the shared
+/// expression grammar (ADR-0031), so literals, operators, `CASE`,
+/// function calls, and scalar subqueries are all admitted; the
+/// engine evaluates them at execution time.
+static ASSIGNMENT_NODES: &[Node] = &[
+    ASSIGN_COLUMN,
+    Node::Punct('='),
+    Node::Subgrammar(&sql_expr::SQL_OR_EXPR),
+];
+static ASSIGNMENT: Node = Node::Seq(ASSIGNMENT_NODES);
+
+/// `assignment ( ',' assignment )*`.
+const ASSIGNMENT_LIST: Node = Node::Repeated {
+    inner: &ASSIGNMENT,
+    separator: Some(&COMMA),
+    min: 1,
+};
+
+static SQL_UPDATE_TAIL_NODES: &[Node] = &[
+    TARGET_TABLE,
+    Node::Word(Word::keyword("set")),
+    ASSIGNMENT_LIST,
+    Node::Optional(&WHERE_CLAUSE),
+    Node::Optional(&Node::Punct(';')),
+];
+
+/// The post-`UPDATE` portion of a SQL `UPDATE` statement
+/// (ADR-0033 §2): `<table> SET col = expr (',' col = expr)*
+/// [ WHERE … ] [ ';' ]`.
+///
+/// The entry-word dispatch consumes the leading `UPDATE` keyword
+/// before this shape walks, so a `CommandNode` references it as
+/// its `shape` (sub-phase 3e registers a development entry word;
+/// sub-phase 3j wires the shared `update` entry word).
+pub static SQL_UPDATE_SHAPE: Node = Node::Seq(SQL_UPDATE_TAIL_NODES);
+
+// =================================================================
+// Tests — grammar accept/reject for the post-`UPDATE` tail.
+// =================================================================
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::SQL_UPDATE_SHAPE;
+    use crate::dsl::walker::context::WalkContext;
+    use crate::dsl::walker::driver::{NodeWalkResult, walk_node};
+    use crate::dsl::walker::outcome::MatchedPath;
+
+    /// Walk `input` against the UPDATE tail. Returns `true` only
+    /// when the walk matches *and* consumes all of `input`
+    /// (trailing whitespace allowed). Schemaless: the shape is
+    /// structural, so table/column idents match by shape and
+    /// `reject_internal_table` still fires on `__rdbms_*`.
+    fn walks(input: &str) -> bool {
+        let mut ctx = WalkContext::new();
+        let mut path = MatchedPath::new();
+        let mut per_byte = Vec::new();
+        match walk_node(input, 0, &SQL_UPDATE_SHAPE, &mut ctx, &mut path, &mut per_byte) {
+            NodeWalkResult::Matched { end, .. } => input[end..].trim().is_empty(),
+            _ => false,
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn good(input: &str) {
+        assert!(walks(input), "{input:?} should be a valid UPDATE tail");
+    }
+
+    fn bad(input: &str) {
+        assert!(!walks(input), "{input:?} should NOT walk as a complete UPDATE tail");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn single_assignment_with_where() {
+        good("t set v = 'x' where id = 1");
+        good("t set v = 1 where id = 1;");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn multi_assignment() {
+        good("t set a = 1, b = 2 where id = 1");
+        good("orders set total = 0, note = 'void' where id = 7");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn no_where_runs_across_all_rows() {
+        // ADR-0030 §12: no `--all-rows` rail — a SQL UPDATE without
+        // WHERE is structurally valid.
+        good("t set active = false");
+        good("t set a = 1, b = 2");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn assignment_rhs_admits_sql_expr() {
+        good("t set total = price * quantity where id = 1");
+        good("t set v = case when x > 0 then x else 0 end");
+        good("t set v = (select max(other) from other_table) where id = 1");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn internal_target_table_rejected() {
+        bad("__rdbms_playground_columns set a = 1");
+        bad("__rdbms_playground_relationships set a = 1 where id = 1");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn structurally_incomplete_or_wrong_rejected() {
+        // Missing SET.
+        bad("t where id = 1");
+        bad("t");
+        // SET with no assignment.
+        bad("t set");
+        bad("t set where id = 1");
+        // Assignment missing RHS.
+        bad("t set v =");
+        // Trailing comma with no following assignment.
+        bad("t set a = 1,");
+    }
+}

src/dsl/walker/mod.rs

@@ -3933,6 +3933,30 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn sql_update_unknown_set_column_is_error() {
+        // ADR-0033 sub-phase 3e cross-cut: the schema-existence
+        // pass fires on the SET assignment column.
+        let schema = schema_with("t", &[("id", Type::Int), ("v", Type::Text)]);
+        let diags = diag_keys("sql_update t set nonexistent = 1 where id = 1", &schema);
+        assert!(
+            diags.iter().any(|d| d.contains("no such column")),
+            "expected unknown_column on the SET column; got {diags:?}",
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn sql_update_eq_null_in_where_warns() {
+        // ADR-0033 sub-phase 3e cross-cut: the predicate-warning
+        // pass fires on `= NULL` in an UPDATE's WHERE.
+        let schema = schema_with("t", &[("id", Type::Int), ("v", Type::Int)]);
+        let diags = diag_keys("sql_update t set v = 1 where v = NULL", &schema);
+        assert!(
+            diags.iter().any(|d| d.contains("IS NULL")),
+            "expected eq_null warning on the WHERE; got {diags:?}",
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn cte_name_is_valid_table_source() {
         let schema = schema_with("base", &[("id", Type::Int)]);

src/runtime.rs

@@ -1894,6 +1894,14 @@ async fn execute_command_typed(
             .run_sql_insert(sql, src, target_table, listed_columns, row_source)
             .await
             .map(CommandOutcome::Insert),
+        // A SQL `UPDATE` (advanced mode; ADR-0033 §2). Grammar-as-
+        // text: the worker runs the validated `sql` and re-persists
+        // the parsed `target_table`'s CSV. Reuses the DSL update
+        // outcome (affected-row count).
+        Command::SqlUpdate { sql, target_table } => database
+            .run_sql_update(sql, src, target_table)
+            .await
+            .map(CommandOutcome::Update),
         // `EXPLAIN QUERY PLAN` never executes the wrapped
         // statement (ADR-0028 §2), so explaining a destructive
         // command is safe. `src` is unused here — explain is a