Database Triggers
Database triggers are procedural code blocks that automatically execute in response to specific events on a particular table or view in a database, such as INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE operations. They are used to enforce business rules, maintain data integrity, audit changes, or automate tasks without requiring application-level intervention. Triggers are typically written in a database-specific procedural language like PL/SQL for Oracle or T-SQL for SQL Server.
Developers should learn and use database triggers when they need to enforce complex data constraints, automate logging or auditing of data changes, or implement cascading actions that must occur consistently across all applications accessing the database. For example, triggers are useful for automatically updating a 'last_modified' timestamp on record updates, validating data before it's committed, or synchronizing related tables in real-time without relying on application code.