- Generally, stored procedures are the blocks of codes that can be accessed by simple application calls.
- At the same time, extended stored procedures help expand the functionality of SQL servers through external functions written in C or C++ languages.
Extended Stored Procedures (XPs) are a feature in Microsoft SQL Server, allowing users to create custom routines or functions using languages like C or C++. However, it’s important to note that Extended Stored Procedures are considered outdated and are not recommended for use in modern SQL Server versions. They were prevalent in older versions of SQL Server (prior to SQL Server 2005) but have been largely replaced by features like CLR Integration (Common Language Runtime) and stored procedures written in T-SQL.
In short, Extended Stored Procedures were used for creating custom routines in languages like C or C++ to extend the functionality of SQL Server. However, modern alternatives, such as CLR Integration, offer more robust and secure options for achieving similar goals in newer versions of SQL Server.
To maximize code reuse and user-defined operations, user-defined stored procedures are implemented using Transact-SQL (T-SQL) statements or the. NET framework Common Language Runtime (CLR). Database developers can write reusable code in languages like C using extended stored procedures.