How to check if a stored procedure exists before creating it

Deep dive into creating stored procedures safely

Steer your SQL operations smoothly. Let's equip you with more robust strategies and programming practices.

Navigating permissions and dependencies

Use ALTER PROCEDURE to make changes to a procedure while preserving permissions and not causing any disruptions to dependent objects.

IF OBJECT_ID('dbo.YourProcedure', 'P') IS NOT NULL
    -- We're altering, not reinventing the wheel.
    ALTER PROCEDURE dbo.YourProcedure
    AS
    -- Procedure definition goes here
ELSE
    -- Time to create something amazing from scratch!
    CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.YourProcedure
    AS
    -- Procedure definition goes here


Enhancing accuracy with schema specification

Always include the schema name for clear identification, such as [dbo].[YourProcedureName].

Adopting idempotency through conditional logic

Employ CREATE OR ALTER PROCEDURE for seamless and repeated executions, simplifying your deployment process.

CREATE OR ALTER PROCEDURE dbo.YourProcedure
AS
-- Procedure definition becomes an artistic masterpiece here


Clearing the slate for recreation

For SQL Server 2016 and later, you can safely remove and recreate procedures using DROP PROCEDURE IF EXISTS.

DROP PROCEDURE IF EXISTS dbo.YourProcedure;
-- Poof! It's gone... Now let's create something better!
CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.YourProcedure
AS
-- New and improved procedure code


Double-checking before alterations

The OBJECTPROPERTY function can be used in conjunction with OBJECT_ID for a double confirmation if the object type is indeed a stored procedure.

IF OBJECTPROPERTY(OBJECT_ID('dbo.YourProcedure', 'P'), 'IsProcedure') = 1
BEGIN
  -- It's really a procedure, no pretender! Let's play.
END


Evolve your existence checks

Alright mayor, let's walk you through some routine checks and legalities for a smooth construction approval!

Checking for the right object type

Use type information from sys.objects or OBJECT_ID with its type abbreviation ('P' for stored procedures) to make sure your permit is for the right structure.

IF EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM sys.objects WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'dbo.YourProcedure') AND type = 'P')
BEGIN
    -- Are we building a restaurant or a gym? Sure, it's a restaurant, let's go!
END


Using "GO" for clean batch executions

Use GO as a boundary marker to avoid accidental violations during the inspection process where CREATE or ALTER procedure statements are used.

Creating placeholders when the land is empty

To ensure everything's above board even if there's nothing to inspect, you can set up placeholders using EXEC for empty land parcels.

IF OBJECT_ID('dbo.YourProcedure', 'P') IS NULL
    -- Let's flag this empty patch for future inspections.
    EXEC('CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.YourProcedure AS BEGIN SET NOCOUNT ON; END');
GO
-- Time for action, regardless of the past!
ALTER PROCEDURE dbo.YourProcedure
AS
-- Procedure blueprint goes here


Encapsulated code for complex constructions

For complex projects, you might find it helpful to encapsulate your code within BEGIN...END blocks to handle conditional approvals and control flow.