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SQL Server Concepts: Stored Procedures

A stored procedure in SQL Server is a pre-written and compiled collection of SQL statements, logically grouped together to perform a specific task. It is stored in the database and can be called by the user or application whenever required. Stored procedures provide a number of benefits, such as increased efficiency, improved security, and easier manageability.

Syntax

The syntax to create a stored procedure is as follows:

CREATE PROCEDURE procedure_name
AS
BEGIN
    -- SQL statements
END

To execute the stored procedure:

EXEC procedure_name

Example

Let's take an example of a stored procedure that returns the name and age of all employees with a certain job title:

CREATE PROCEDURE getEmployeesByTitle
    @title nvarchar(50)
AS
BEGIN
    SELECT Name, Age
    FROM Employees
    WHERE JobTitle = @title
END

Output

When executed, the stored procedure will return a result set that contains the name and age of the employees with the specified job title.

Explanation

Stored procedures provide a number of benefits:

  • Increased efficiency: since the SQL statements in the stored procedure are pre-compiled, the execution time is reduced.
  • Improved security: stored procedures can be granted permission to specific users, ensuring that only authorized users can perform specific actions.
  • Easier manageability: changes to the logic in a stored procedure only need to be made in one place, making it easier to manage and maintain.

Use

Stored procedures can be used in a variety of scenarios, such as:

  • Running complex SQL queries.
  • Automating repetitive tasks.
  • Implementing business logic.

Important Points

  • Stored procedures can accept input parameters and return output parameters.
  • Stored procedures can return result sets or modify data in the database.
  • Stored procedures can be accessed by multiple users or applications simultaneously.

Summary

Stored procedures are pre-written and compiled collections of SQL statements that perform a specific task. They provide a number of benefits, such as increased efficiency, improved security, and easier manageability. They can be used in a variety of scenarios, such as running complex SQL queries, automating repetitive tasks, and implementing business logic. Stored procedures can accept input parameters, return output parameters, and can be accessed by multiple users or applications simultaneously.

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