PostgreSQL Functions: A Beginner’s Guide - Part One
Need to learn PostgreSQL functions in a pinch? Here’s where to start.
What is a PostgreSQL function?
PostgreSQL functions allow you to package SQL statements together and then later invoke those statements by calling the function.
For example, when a new user joins a social media app, the backend database may need to create several related objects, an account, profile, and inbox, and then ultimately return the new unique identifier for the user.
A software engineer can encapsulate this setup within a single function and then call that function each time a new user joins the platform.
Understanding the lay of the land
Before I dive into the anatomy of PostgreSQL functions, here are a few contextual details that will help you get your footing.
Nomenclature
Other SQL databases refer to functions as stored procedures or user-defined functions. In PostgreSQL, they are just called functions.
Functions are functions
Functions can accept arguments, declare variables, and perform loops, just like programming languages like…
