Sometimes I like to see what the internet says about a particular topic, and then spend a few hours trying to make sense of it. Let's take a look at what Wikipedia says about database transactions:
"A transaction comprises a unit of work performed within a database management system (or similar system) against a database, and treated in a coherent and reliable way independent of other transactions… A database transaction, by definition, must be atomic, consistent, isolated and durable." | ||
--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database_transaction |
I'm not going to lie. I hate computer jargon. It's always a mouthful, and, more often than not, leaves me confused. The essence of the preceding quote can be put simply thus: A database transaction is a bunch of work which is either completed in its entirety or isn't performed at all, and, in the process, doesn't screw anything else up. It's all-or-nothing, while respecting its neighbors. That's the easy version. Read...