What is the main purpose of a stored procedure?

The primary purpose of a stored procedure is to encapsulate multiple SQL statements for execution. Stored procedures allow for a collection of SQL commands to be compiled and stored within the database, making it possible to execute complex operations with a single call. This enhances efficiency, as the procedure can perform a series of tasks—such as reading, updating, inserting, or deleting data—without needing to send multiple requests from an application to the database.

By encapsulating the logic within the database, stored procedures also promote consistency and maintainability. Developers can update the logic in one place without altering all the application code that relies on those operations. This is particularly beneficial for ensuring that data integrity rules are applied uniformly.

While storing additional data, managing user permissions, and creating backups are related to database management, they do not align with the primary function of stored procedures, which is focused on executing sets of SQL commands as cohesive units.