What is Stored Procedure?

What is a Stored Procedure?

A stored procedure is a block of SQL stored inside the database and called by name from an application. It can accept parameters, include conditions and loops, start transactions, and return result sets. This keeps repeatable data operations defined in one place.

For example, month-end commission calculation, order closing, stock reservation, or summary report generation can be implemented as stored procedures. Instead of repeating the same SQL steps throughout the application, the code calls the procedure with CALL or a database-specific command.

Benefits and Limits

Running SQL close to the data can help with performance and transaction consistency. Some organizations also use stored procedures to restrict database permissions, allowing the application to execute approved operations without direct access to every table.

The tradeoff is that business logic can become split between application code and the database. If testing, versioning, and database deployment are not managed clearly, maintenance becomes harder. In projects using an ORM, teams should decide early which rules belong in the application layer and which belong in the database.