Transactions and ACID
Learn how database transactions and ACID properties ensure data integrity, consistency, and reliability.
We'll cover the following...
Imagine we’re processing an order on the OnlineStore platform.
A customer adds items to their cart, enters their payment information, and clicks “Place Order”. Behind the scenes, the system needs to insert the order, update stock levels, adjust loyalty points, and record a payment - all steps that must succeed or fail together.
What if the system crashes after reducing the stock but before confirming payment? We might lose inventory without earning revenue. This is the kind of data disaster that database systems are built to prevent. They do this using a concept called a transaction, which is governed by a set of crucial principles known as ACID.
By the end of this lesson, we will be able to:
Understand what a database transaction is and why it’s essential.
Define the four properties of ACID: Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability.
Recognize how ACID properties ensure data integrity and reliability.
Let’s dive in and learn how databases ensure our data remains safe and accurate, even when things go wrong.
Transaction
In the world of databases, a transaction is a sequence of operations performed as a single, logical unit of work. All the operations within a transaction must either succeed together or fail together. There’s no in-between. If even one part of the transaction fails, the entire transaction is cancelled, and the database is rolled back to the state it was in before the transaction began.
This “all or nothing” approach is fundamental to maintaining data integrity. Think about placing an order in our ...