What is the difference between transaction isolation and concurrency control?

What is the difference between transaction isolation and concurrency control?

Transaction isolation refers to the degree to which the operations in one transaction are isolated from those in other transactions. Concurrency control, on the other hand, is a mechanism to ensure that database transactions are executed concurrently without violating the integrity of the database.

Can you explain the different levels of transaction isolation?

Sure! The main levels of transaction isolation are Read Uncommitted, Read Committed, Repeatable Read, and Serializable. Each level provides a different balance between performance and data consistency.

What are some common concurrency control methods?

Common concurrency control methods include locking protocols, timestamp ordering, and optimistic concurrency control. Each method has its own advantages and trade-offs.

How do these concepts affect database performance?

Transaction isolation levels and concurrency control methods can significantly impact database performance. Higher isolation levels can lead to more locking and reduced throughput, while lower levels may increase the risk of anomalies.

Can you give an example of a real-world application?

Certainly! Online banking systems use transaction isolation to ensure that account balances are accurate during concurrent transactions, preventing issues like double spending.