Savepoints

A savepoint is a special marker inside a transaction that allows commands that execute after the savepoint to be rolled back. The transaction is restored to the state that preceded the savepoint.

Vertica supports two types of savepoints:

  • An implicit savepoint is automatically established after each successful command within a transaction. This savepoint is used to roll back the next statement if it returns an error. A transaction maintains one implicit savepoint, which it rolls forward with each successful command. Implicit savepoints are available to Vertica only and cannot be referenced directly.

  • Named savepoints are labeled markers within a transaction that you set through SAVEPOINT statements. A named savepoint can later be referenced in the same transaction through RELEASE SAVEPOINT, which destroys it, and ROLLBACK TO SAVEPOINT, which rolls back all operations that followed the savepoint. Named savepoints can be especially useful in nested transactions: a nested transaction that begins with a savepoint can be rolled back entirely, if necessary.