Atomicity
Learn about Atomicity in databases, why it matters, and how it's used in MySQL.
Imagine we are at an ATM, trying to transfer $100 from our savings account to our checking account. This seemingly simple action actually involves two distinct steps: (1) debiting $100 from savings, and (2) crediting $100 to checking. Now, what if the ATM crashes right after debiting our savings but before crediting our checking? We’d be $100 poorer in savings, with no corresponding increase in checking! That’s a data disaster. This is precisely where the concept of atomicity comes in to save the day. It ensures that multi-step operations like our bank transfer happen completely or not at all, preventing such inconsistencies.
By the end of this lesson, we will:
Understand the concept of Atomicity in database transactions.
Recognize the importance of Atomicity for maintaining data integrity.
Learn how Atomicity is implemented in MySQL using
START TRANSACTION,COMMIT, andROLLBACK.Identify scenarios where Atomicity is crucial for reliable database operations.
What is atomicity?
Atomicity is one of the four key properties (A-C-I-D) that guarantee database transactions are processed reliably. The ‘A’ in ACID stands for Atomicity. In simple terms, atomicity means that a transaction (a sequence of one or more database operations) is treated as a single, indivisible unit of work. This means that either all the operations within the transaction are completed successfully and their changes are permanently saved to the database ...