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