Introduction
Comments are an important feature in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) that allow you to add notes and explanations to your SQL code. Comments can make your code more readable and understandable to other developers, as well as to your future self. In this blog post, we will discuss the different types of comments in SSMS, show examples of how to use them, and provide some best practices for commenting your code.
Types of Comments in SSMS
- There are two types of comments in SSMS: single–line comments and multi–line comments.
Single-line Comments
Single–line comments begin with two dashes (—), and everything after the dashes on that line is treated as a comment. Single-line comments are useful for adding brief explanations or notes to your code. For example:
Multi-line Comments
Multi–line comments begin with /* and end with */. Everything between the opening and closing delimiters is treated as a comment. Multi-line comments are useful for adding more detailed explanations or notes to your code. For example:
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Comments
Advantages
- Improved readability: Comments can make your code more readable and understandable to other developers, as well as to your future self.
- Easier maintenance: Comments can make it easier to maintain and modify your code in the future.
- Documentation: Comments can serve as documentation for your code, explaining why certain decisions were made or how certain algorithms work.
Disadvantages
- Maintenance: Comments can become outdated or inaccurate over time, especially if the code they are commenting on is modified.
- Clutter: Too many comments can make your code look cluttered and hard to read.
- Over-reliance: Comments can be overused as a crutch, instead of writing clear and concise code.
Best Practices for Commenting Your Code
To get the most out of comments in SSMS, here are some best practices to follow:
- Be clear and concise: Comments should be clear and concise, explaining what the code does and why it does it.
- Use consistent formatting: Use a consistent formatting style for your comments, such as always beginning single-line comments with “–“.
- Update comments when code changes: If you modify your code, be sure to update any comments that are affected by the change.
- Avoid over-commenting: Only add comments where they are necessary, and avoid adding comments that simply repeat what the code is already saying.
- Use comments to explain complex code: If you have complex code, use comments to explain what it does and why it is necessary.
Example: Using Comments in SSMS
Let’s walk through an example of how to use comments in SSMS.
In this example, we use single-line comments to explain what the first query does, and a multi-line comment to explain what the second query does.
Conclusion
Comments are an important feature in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) that can make your code more readable and understandable. By following best practices and using comments only where necessary
