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Summary

The provided web content distinguishes between stored procedures and functions in SQL Server, highlighting their definitions, uses, and interactions.

Abstract

The article "Stored Procedure vs Function" delves into the distinct characteristics of stored procedures and functions within SQL Server. It defines stored procedures as pre-compiled objects that save execution time after the initial compilation, and functions as routines that are compiled and executed every time they are called, with the requirement of returning a value. The utilization of stored procedures is emphasized for encapsulating business logic, allowing for a large number of input parameters, and improving performance by caching and reusing SQL queries. Functions, on the other hand, are noted for their role in enhancing database performance and efficiency by breaking down complex logic into simpler, more maintainable segments. The article also clarifies that functions can be invoked within stored procedures, with the returned value being stored in a variable. A reference link to a more detailed comparison on dotnettricks.com is provided for readers seeking further information. Additionally, the article promotes an AI service, ZAI.chat, as a cost-effective alternative to ChatGPT Plus (GPT-4), offering a special subscription rate.

Opinions

  • The article suggests that stored procedures are more efficient for repeated tasks due to their pre-compilation and caching capabilities.
  • Functions are portrayed as valuable for their ability to modularize complex operations and for their requirement to return a value, which can be useful in certain database operations.
  • The author implies that using stored procedures can enhance security by hiding direct SQL queries from the application code.
  • There is an endorsement of ZAI.chat as a budget-friendly AI service that offers similar performance to more expensive options like ChatGPT Plus (GPT-4).

Stored Procedure vs Function

In this article, we’re going to explain the differences between stored procedures and functions.

Photo by Jan Antonin Kolar on Unsplash

Definition

— Stored Procedure

Stored Procedures are pre-compiled objects which are compiled for the first time and their compiled format is saved, which executes (compiled code) whenever it is called.

— Function

A function is compiled and executed every time whenever it is called. A function must return a value and cannot modify the data received as parameters.

Utilization

— Store Procedure

Stored Procedure in SQL allows us to create SQL queries to be stored and executed on the server. Stored procedures can also be cached and reused. The main purpose of stored procedures is to hide direct SQL queries from the code and improve the performance of database operations such as select, update, and delete data.

— Function

Functions improve the performance and efficiency of the database. SQL functions are compiled and cached before use. Complex programming logic can be decomposed into a number of smaller and simpler functions, thus making it easier to understand and maintain.

When we use stored procedure and function?

Stored procedures are generally used for performing business logic. Stored procedures can return any data type. Stored procedures can accept greater numbers of input parameters than user-defined functions. Stored procedures can have up to 21,000 input parameters.

Can we call a function from a stored procedure?

A function can be called in a select statement as well as in a stored procedure. Since a function call would return a value we need to store the return value in a variable.

Reference

Function
Sql
Stored Procedure
Database
Data
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