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SQL COMMIT: Finalizing Database Transactions

In SQL, the COMMIT statement plays a crucial role in database transactions. It's the final step that makes changes permanent and visible to other users.

What is COMMIT?

COMMIT is a SQL command that finalizes a transaction in a relational database. When you execute a COMMIT, all changes made during the current transaction are saved and become permanent.

Purpose of COMMIT

  • Ensures data integrity
  • Makes changes visible to other database users
  • Releases locks on the affected data
  • Marks the end of a successful transaction

Basic Syntax

COMMIT;

This simple command is typically used after a series of SQL statements that modify the database.

COMMIT in Action

Here's a practical example of using COMMIT in a transaction:

BEGIN TRANSACTION;
    UPDATE accounts SET balance = balance - 100 WHERE account_id = 1234;
    UPDATE accounts SET balance = balance + 100 WHERE account_id = 5678;
COMMIT;

In this example, we're transferring $100 between two accounts. The COMMIT ensures that both updates are applied together.

COMMIT vs. ROLLBACK

While COMMIT finalizes changes, ROLLBACK discards them. If an error occurs during a transaction, you might choose to ROLLBACK instead of COMMIT.

Best Practices

  • Use COMMIT after logically complete operations
  • Avoid excessive commits, as they can impact performance
  • Ensure all operations in a transaction are successful before committing
  • Use Transaction Isolation Levels to manage concurrent access

COMMIT and ACID Properties

COMMIT is crucial for maintaining the ACID properties of database transactions, particularly Durability. It ensures that once a transaction is committed, its effects persist even in the event of system failures.

Auto-Commit Mode

Some database systems have an auto-commit mode where each individual SQL statement is automatically committed. While convenient, it can limit control over transaction boundaries.

Conclusion

Understanding and properly using COMMIT is essential for maintaining data integrity in SQL databases. It's a fundamental concept in transaction management, working hand-in-hand with BEGIN TRANSACTION and ROLLBACK to ensure reliable and consistent database operations.