BEGIN
TransactionStarts a new transaction block. All subsequent statements are part of this transaction until COMMIT or ROLLBACK.
Syntax
BEGIN [TRANSACTION]
Example
BEGIN; UPDATE accounts SET balance = balance - 100 WHERE id = 1; UPDATE accounts SET balance = balance + 100 WHERE id = 2; COMMIT;
About SQL BEGIN
The BEGIN keyword belongs to the Transaction category of SQL statements. Starts a new transaction block. All subsequent statements are part of this transaction until COMMIT or ROLLBACK. Understanding this command is essential for any developer working with relational databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, or SQL Server.
SQL (Structured Query Language) is the standard language for managing and querying relational databases. The BEGIN statement is supported across all major database systems, though specific syntax may vary slightly between PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, Oracle, SQL Server, and SQLite. Always consult your database's documentation for vendor-specific features and limitations.
Best practices for using BEGIN: always test queries on a development database before running them in production, use parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection, and leverage EXPLAIN to understand query performance. For complex queries, consider using CTEs (Common Table Expressions) to improve readability and maintainability.