---
title: 'PostgreSQL CREATE PROCEDURE'
page_title: 'PostgreSQL CREATE PROCEDURE By Examples'
page_description: 'In this tutorial, you will learn how to use the PostgreSQL CREATE PROCEDURE statement to create new stored procedures.'
prev_url: 'https://www.postgresqltutorial.com/postgresql-plpgsql/postgresql-create-procedure/'
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updatedOn: '2024-02-01T13:52:00+00:00'
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---

**Summary**: in this tutorial, you will learn how to use the PostgreSQL `CREATE PROCEDURE` statement to create new stored procedures.

## Introduction to PostgreSQL CREATE PROCEDURE statement

So far, you have learned how to [define user\-defined functions](postgresql-create-function) using the `create function` statement.

A drawback of user\-defined functions is that they cannot execute [transactions](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-transaction). In other words, inside a user\-defined function, you cannot [start a transaction](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-transaction), and commit or rollback it.

PostgreSQL 11 introduced stored procedures that support transactions.

To define a new stored procedure, you use the `create procedure` statement with the following syntax:

```sqlsql
create [or replace] procedure procedure_name(parameter_list)
language plpgsql
as $$
declare
-- variable declaration
begin
-- stored procedure body
end; $$
```

In this syntax:

- First, specify the name of the stored procedure after the `create procedure` keywords.
- Second, define parameters for the stored procedure. A stored procedure can accept zero or more parameters.
- Third, specify `plpgsql` as the procedural language for the stored procedure. Note that you can use other procedural languages for the stored procedure such as SQL, C, etc.
- Finally, use the dollar\-quoted string constant syntax to define the body of the stored procedure.

Parameters in stored procedures can have the `in` and `inout` modes but cannot have the `out` mode.

A stored procedure does not return a value. You cannot use the `return` statement with a value inside a store procedure like this:

```sql
return expression;
```

However, you can use the `return` statement without the `expression` to stop the stored procedure immediately:

```
return;
```

If you want to return a value from a stored procedure, you can use parameters with the `inout` mode.

## PostgreSQL CREATE PROCEDURE statement examples

We will use the following `accounts` table for the demonstration:

```sql
drop table if exists accounts;

create table accounts (
    id int generated by default as identity,
    name varchar(100) not null,
    balance dec(15,2) not null,
    primary key(id)
);

insert into accounts(name,balance)
values('Bob',10000);

insert into accounts(name,balance)
values('Alice',10000);
```

The following statement shows the data from the `accounts` table:

```sql
select * from accounts;
```

Output:

```text
 id | name  | balance
----+-------+----------
  1 | Bob   | 10000.00
  2 | Alice | 10000.00
(2 rows)
```

The following example creates a stored procedure named `transfer` that transfers a specified amount of money from one account to another.

```
create or replace procedure transfer(
   sender int,
   receiver int,
   amount dec
)
language plpgsql
as $$
begin
    -- subtracting the amount from the sender's account
    update accounts
    set balance = balance - amount
    where id = sender;

    -- adding the amount to the receiver's account
    update accounts
    set balance = balance + amount
    where id = receiver;

    commit;
end;$$;
```

## Calling a stored procedure

To call a stored procedure, you use the `CALL` statement as follows:

```sql
call stored_procedure_name(argument_list);
```

For example, this statement invokes the `transfer` stored procedure to transfer `$1,000` from Bob’s account to Alice’s account.

```sql
call transfer(1,2,1000);
```

The following statement verifies the data in the `accounts` table after the transfer:

```sql
SELECT * FROM accounts;
```

Output:

```
 id | name  | balance
----+-------+----------
  1 | Bob   |  9000.00
  2 | Alice | 11000.00
(2 rows)
```

The output shows that the transfer has been successful.

## Summary

- Use `create procedure` statement to define a new stored procedure.
- Use the `call` statement to invoke a stored procedure.