Why We Use Stored Procedure In SQL Server

Introduction

In this article, we will learn about stored procedures and why they are used in SQL Server. We will explore the various benefits of using Stored Procedures in SQL Server, including their ability to execute the same SQL statements multiple times, encapsulate complex logic, improve performance, improve security, and make the application easier to maintain.

We will also discuss when it is appropriate to use stored procedures and how they can be created and managed within a database. By the end of this article, you will better understand stored procedures and how they can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your SQL-based application.

What is the Stored Procedure In SQL Server?

A stored procedure is a pre-defined set of SQL statements stored in a database that can be executed on demand. In the context of SQL Server, a stored procedure is a group of SQL statements compiled and saved in the database. They can be used to perform a wide range of tasks, such as retrieving data, updating data, and deleting data.

Stored procedures are beneficial in SQL Server because they allow developers to encapsulate complex logic in the database, improve the application's performance, and make the code easier to maintain. Stored procedures can be executed by calling their name and passing any required parameters. It can also be used to control access to data, as they can be granted specific permissions to certain users or groups.

In SQL Server, stored procedures are created using the CREATE PROCEDURE statement, modified using the ALTER PROCEDURE, and deleted using DROP PROCEDURE statements. They can be executed using the EXECUTE or EXECUTE PROCEDURE statements.

How to Create Stored Procedure in SQL Server by using SSMS?

To create a stored procedure in SQL Server using SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio), follow these steps.

Step 1. Connect to the SQL Server instance.

Open SSMS and connect to the SQL Server instance where you want to create the stored procedure. To learn more about How to install SSMS or How to connect SQL Server instances in SQL Server Management Studio.

Here I connected with my locally installed SQL Server to SSMS, as shown in figure 1

Figure-1

Step 2. Open SQL Query editor.

Open SQL Query Editor and use SQL Stored Procedure syntax given in the snippet below to create a stored procedure in SQL server using SSMS. To learn more about creating a Stored Procedure in SQL Server using SSMS, follow this article.

SQL Stored Procedure syntax

CREATE PROCEDURE [schema_name.]procedure_name
[@parameter1 datatype[=default value], @parameter2 datatype[=default value], ...]
AS
BEGIN
    -- stored procedure code goes here
END

Suppose I create a stored procedure named "GetAllUsers" after executing the CREATE PROCEDURE statement below. Then we get the result shown in Figure 2, which means the stored procedure is successfully created in your database.

CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.GetAllUsers
AS
BEGIN
    SELECT * FROM users;
END

Figure-2

Step 3. Execute Stored Procedure.

To execute this stored procedure, you can use the following SQL Syntax.

EXECUTE [schema_name.]procedure_name

As in the last step, I have created a Stored Procedure named "GetAllUsers," so I am executing this stored procedure as written below SQL Statement, and it returns results as shown in figure-3.

EXECUTE dbo.GetAllUsers;

Figure-3

Here I demonstrate a simple stored procedure. To learn more about How to create parameterized stored procedures and how to execute them in SSMS.

Why do we use Stored Procedures in SQL Server?

There are several reasons why stored procedures are used in SQL:

1. Ability to execute the same set of SQL statements multiple times: A stored procedure allows you to run a set of SQL statements multiple times, by using this feature it is saving time and makes the application easier to maintain.
2. Encapsulation of complex logic in the database: Stored procedures can contain complex logic, such as loops and conditional statements, which can be challenging to express in a single SQL statement. This can make the code easier to read and understand. It also reduces the risk of errors.
3. Improved application performance: Stored procedures are compiled and stored in the SQL database, which means they can be executed more quickly than dynamic SQL statements sent to the database each time they are executed. This can improve the overall performance of the application.
4. Improved application security: Stored procedures can be used to control access to sensitive data, as they can be granted specific permissions to certain users or groups. This can help to protect against unauthorized access to the data. 
5. Improved maintainability of the application: Stored procedures can be used to modularize the code, which makes it easier to make changes to the application without affecting other parts of the codebase. This can reduce the risk of introducing errors and make the application easier to maintain over time. 
6. Concurrency control: Stored procedure can use transactions, which gives you control over data consistency and durability during concurrent access to the database.
7. Simplification: You can change how the database is organized without affecting how the application uses it. This allows you to change the database without impacting the rest of the system, which is useful when you want to keep the application and database separate.

Conclusion

Here, we have learned what Stored Procedure is, how to create Stored Procedures in SQL Server using SSMS and why we use Stored Procedures in SQL Server.

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Thanks for reading, and I hope you like it.