In Chapter 6, Optimizing Queries for Good Performance, we learned a lot about the optimizer as well as the optimizations going on in the system. This chapter is going to be about stored procedures and how to use them efficiently and easily. You will learn what a stored procedure is made up of, which languages are available, and how you can speed things up nicely. On top of that, you will be introduced to some of the more advanced features of PL/pgSQL.

The following topics will be covered in this chapter:

• Deciding on the right language
• Distinguishing between procedures and functions
• How stored procedures are executed
• Advanced features of PL/pgSQL
• Creating extensions
• Optimizing for good performance
• Configuring function parameters

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to write good and efficient procedures.