Applications execute a SQL statement or group of logically related SQL statements to perform a database transaction. The SQL statement or statements add, delete, or modify data in the database.
Transactions are atomic and durable. To be considered atomic, a transaction must successfully complete all of its statements; otherwise, none of the statements execute. To be considered durable, a transaction's changes to a database must be permanent.
Complete a transaction by using either the COMMIT or ROLLBACK statements. COMMIT statements make permanent the changes to the database created by a transaction. ROLLBACK restores the database to the state it was in before the transaction was performed.
