Stored Procedures
Stored procedures are precompiled SQL code blocks stored in a database that can be executed on demand to perform operations such as data manipulation, validation, or complex business logic. They encapsulate database operations, allowing for reuse, improved performance through reduced network traffic, and enhanced security by controlling data access. Stored procedures are supported by many relational database management systems (RDBMS) like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server.
Developers should use stored procedures when they need to centralize business logic within the database for consistency, optimize performance by reducing round-trips between application and database, and enforce security by limiting direct table access. Common use cases include batch processing, data validation, and complex transactional operations where atomicity is critical, such as in financial or inventory systems.