BEGIN...END (Transact-SQL)

Article
05/23/2023

Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics Analytics Platform System (PDW) SQL Endpoint in Microsoft Fabric Warehouse in Microsoft Fabric

Encloses a series of Transact-SQL statements so that a group of Transact-SQL statements can be executed. BEGIN and END are control-of-flow language keywords.

Transact-SQL syntax conventions

Syntax

BEGIN  
    { sql_statement | statement_block }   
END

Note

To view Transact-SQL syntax for SQL Server 2014 and earlier, see Previous versions documentation.

Arguments

{ sql_statement | statement_block }
Is any valid Transact-SQL statement or statement grouping as defined by using a statement block.

Remarks

BEGIN...END blocks can be nested.

Although all Transact-SQL statements are valid within a BEGIN...END block, certain Transact-SQL statements should not be grouped together within the same batch, or statement block.

Examples

In the following example, BEGIN and END define a series of Transact-SQL statements that execute together. If the BEGIN...END block were not included, both ROLLBACK TRANSACTION statements would execute and both PRINT messages would be returned.

USE AdventureWorks2012
GO  
BEGIN TRANSACTION
GO  
IF @@TRANCOUNT = 0  
BEGIN  
    SELECT FirstName, MiddleName   
    FROM Person.Person WHERE LastName = 'Adams';
    ROLLBACK TRANSACTION;
    PRINT N'Rolling back the transaction two times would cause an error.';
END;
ROLLBACK TRANSACTION;
PRINT N'Rolled back the transaction.';
GO  
/*  
Rolled back the transaction.  
*/

Examples: Azure Synapse Analytics and Analytics Platform System (PDW)

In the following example, BEGIN and END define a series of SQL statements that run together. If the BEGIN...END block are not included, the following example will be in a continuous loop.

-- Uses AdventureWorks  

DECLARE @Iteration Integer = 0;
WHILE @Iteration <10  
BEGIN  
    SELECT FirstName, MiddleName   
    FROM dbo.DimCustomer WHERE LastName = 'Adams';
    SET @Iteration += 1  ;
END;