Stored procedures are prepared SQL codes that you can save, allowing you to use them many times. This helps you be more productive in less time while also reducing data errors. As beneficial as stored procedures can be, there are some concerns over portability and testing. 

Let’s cover the pros and cons to using stored procedures and whether or not you can benefit from this reusable SQL code. 

What is a Stored Procedure? 

A stored procedure is a type of code in SQL that can be stored for later use. Whenever you need to execute the query, you can call the stored procedure to save time. You can also pass parameters to a stored procedure so that it can act based on the parameters you passed. 

It’s also possible to set up multiple parameters. Just list each parameter and the data type, separated by a comma. Hopefully this has helped you better understand what stored procedures are and how they can be used for your SQL database. 

Benefits of Using Stored Procedures

If you’ve upgraded to an SQL database, here are some benefits to using stored procedures: 

• Better performance. Procedure calls are fast and efficient. They’re compiled once and stored in executable form. This lowers memory requirements as well.
• Greater productivity. Since the piece of code is used many times, you’re able to be more productive, more efficient and less redundant. 
• Easy to use. Most of our clients have an easy time using stored procedures once they learn the ropes. All you need is Microsoft Access and .NET C#. 
• Scalability. Stored procedures increase scalability by isolating application processing on the server. 
• Security. It’s possible to restrict access to Microsoft SQL Server data by manipulating the data only through stored procedures that the user has access to. This way, they can use the procedures to update the database but not have access to the table itself. 

Concerns Over Using Stored Procedures 

While there are many perks to using stored procedures, there are a few things to be aware of: 

• Testability. Business logic, which is encapsulated in stored procedures, is difficult to test. If there are data errors, you won’t know until runtime.
• Debugging. Debugging stored procedures is challenging but possible. However, you’re at the mercy of a database profiler to track down an application issue or debug your database. 
• Versioning. Stored procedures do not support versioning. However, you can work around this issue by putting stored procedures into a version control system. 

Should You Be Using Stored Procedures? 

Even though there are some limitations and drawbacks to using stored procedures, we generally find that the benefits far outweigh them. Thanks to these procedures, our clients are able to be productive and efficient with their time. To learn more about using stored procedures, contact Arkware today for a consultation.