Avoiding Cursors In SQL Server Stored Procedures
Cursors are a mechanism for explicit row enumeration, but typically should be avoided in SQL Server stored procedures as they limit optimizer flexibility. Use queries instead for better performance.
Cursors are a mechanism to explicitly enumerate through the rows of a result set, rather than retrieving it as such. However, while they may be more comfortable to use for programmers accustomed to writing While Not RS.EOF Do ..., they are typically a thing to be avoided within SQL Server stored procedures if at all possible -- if you can write a query without the use of cursors, you give the optimizer a much better chance to find a fast way to implement it. In all honesty, I've never found a realistic use case for a cursor that couldn't be avoided, with the exception of a few administrative t...