BEGIN...END (Transact-SQL)

Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics Analytics Platform System (PDW) SQL analytics 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 (12.x) and earlier versions, 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 AdventureWorks2022;
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;

See Also

ALTER TRIGGER (Transact-SQL)
Control-of-Flow Language (Transact-SQL)
CREATE TRIGGER (Transact-SQL)
END (BEGIN...END) (Transact-SQL)