Posted on February 7, 2023 by Kevin Guisarde .

SQL Server Stored Procedures are a valuable tool for managing and maintaining complex database logic. Stored Procedures are precompiled sets of T-SQL statements that can be executed by calling the stored procedure name. They provide a convenient way to encapsulate a series of T-SQL statements into a single executable unit, making it easier to manage and maintain complex database logic. In this blog, we will discuss the benefits of using SQL Server Stored Procedures, including improved performance, security, and ease of maintenance. We will also explore the different types of Stored Procedures and provide examples of how they can be used in various industries. Whether you’re new to SQL Server or an experienced developer, understanding Stored Procedures can help you build more efficient and effective applications, and simplify the management of complex database logic.

Agenda

1. Introduction to SQL Server Stored Procedures
2. Different Stored Procedure Types using Examples from the Media Industry
3. Real-World Example Questions in the Media Industry
4. A Most Commonly Asked Interview Question in SQL Server Stored Procedures
5. Conclusion

Introduction to SQL Server Stored Procedures

SQL Server Stored Procedures are precompiled sets of T-SQL statements that can be executed by calling the stored procedure name. They provide a convenient way to encapsulate a series of T-SQL statements into a single executable unit that can be executed repeatedly, making it easier to manage and maintain complex database logic.

Different Stored Procedure Types using Examples From The Media Industry

Simple Stored Procedures

A simple stored procedure is a basic stored procedure that only contains a single SELECT statement. This type of stored procedure is commonly used to retrieve data from a database.

Consider a media database that contains information about movies and their respective ratings. A simple stored procedure can be created to retrieve the titles of movies with a rating of 8 or higher:

CREATE PROCEDURE GetHighRatedMovies 
AS 
BEGIN 
  SELECT Title 
  FROM Movies 
  WHERE Rating >= 8 
END

Parameterized Stored Procedures

A parameterized stored procedure is a stored procedure that accepts parameters. These parameters can be used to filter data or customize the behavior of the stored procedure.

Consider a media database that contains information about movies and their respective ratings. A parameterized stored procedure can be created to retrieve the titles of movies with a specified rating:

CREATE PROCEDURE GetMoviesByRating (@minRating INT) 
AS 
BEGIN 
  SELECT Title 
  FROM Movies 
  WHERE Rating >= @minRating 
END

Stored Procedures with Output Parameters

A stored procedure with output parameters is a stored procedure that returns output in the form of parameters. These parameters can be used to return a value from the stored procedure to the calling code.

Example in Media Industry:
Consider a media database that contains information about movies and their respective ratings. A stored procedure with output parameters can be created to retrieve the total number of movies with a specified rating:

CREATE PROCEDURE GetMovieCountByRating (@minRating INT, @movieCount INT OUTPUT) 
AS 
BEGIN 
  SELECT @movieCount = COUNT(*) 
  FROM Movies 
  WHERE Rating >= @minRating 
END

Real-World Example Questions in the Media Industry

Script:

CREATE TABLE Movies ( 
  MovieID INT PRIMARY KEY IDENTITY(1,1), 
  Title VARCHAR(100), 
  ReleaseYear INT, 
  Rating DECIMAL(3,1), 
  BoxOffice INT 
); 

INSERT INTO Movies (Title, ReleaseYear, Rating, BoxOffice) 
VALUES 
  ('The Avengers', 2012, 8.0, 1518594910), 
  ('The Dark Knight', 2008, 9.0, 534858444), 
  ('Inception', 2010, 8.8, 825532764), 
  ('Avatar', 2009, 7.8, 278900000), 
  ('The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King', 2003, 9.0, 378800000), 
  ('The Matrix', 1999, 8.7, 171300000), 
  ('The Shawshank Redemption', 1994, 9.2, 283400000); 

1.  Write a query to retrieve the titles and release year of all movies that were released in the years 2000 or later, sorted by release year in ascending order.

SELECT Title, ReleaseYear 
FROM Movies 
WHERE ReleaseYear >= 2000 
ORDER BY ReleaseYear ASC

2. Write a query to retrieve the title and box office earnings of all movies that have a box office earning of more than $1 billion, sorted by box office earnings in descending order.

SELECT Title, BoxOffice 
FROM Movies 
WHERE BoxOffice > 1000000000 
ORDER BY BoxOffice DESC

3. Write a query to retrieve the average rating and the standard deviation of the ratings of all movies.

WITH CTE_AVG AS ( 
  SELECT AVG(Rating) AVG_RATING 
  FROM Movies 
), 
CTE_STDDEV AS ( 
  SELECT STDEV(Rating) STDEV_RATING 
  FROM Movies 
) 
SELECT AVG_RATING, STDEV_RATING 
FROM CTE_AVG, CTE_STDDEV

A Most Commonly Asked Interview Question in SQL Server Stored Procedures

Q: What is the difference between a stored procedure and a user-defined function in SQL Server?

A: A stored procedure and a user-defined function are two different types of database objects in SQL Server. The main difference between them is their usage and return type.

A stored procedure is used to perform a specific task, such as retrieving data from a database, inserting data into a database, or updating data in a database. Stored procedures can return multiple result sets and output parameters, but they cannot return a single value.

On the other hand, a user-defined function is used to return a single value or a table. User-defined functions can only return a single value or a table, and they cannot return multiple result sets or output parameters.

In my previous project, I used both stored procedures and user-defined functions to build a database-driven application. I used stored procedures to perform tasks such as retrieving data from a database and inserting data into a database, and I used user-defined functions to return calculated values that were used in various parts of the application.

Conclusion

In conclusion, SQL Server Stored Procedures are a powerful tool for managing complex database logic. They provide a convenient way to encapsulate a series of T-SQL statements into a single executable unit, making it easier to manage and maintain complex database logic. With the different concept types and real-world example questions in the Media Industry, it’s clear that SQL Server Stored Procedures play a crucial role in the field of data analytics.