Stored Procedure

A stored procedure is a prepared SQL code that is saved in the database and can be reused. It accepts parameters, executes a series of SQL statements, and can return results. Stored procedures offer several advantages: they reduce network traffic by executing multiple statements in a single call, improve security by controlling data access through parameterized interfaces, enable code reuse, and can improve performance through precompilation and execution plan caching. They are commonly used for complex business logic, data validation, batch processing, and administrative tasks. All major databases support stored procedures, though syntax varies between vendors.