What is the role of isolation in database transactions?

Can you explain what isolation means in the context of database transactions?

Isolation is a property that ensures that transactions are executed independently, without interference from other transactions.

Why is isolation important for database integrity?

Isolation helps maintain data integrity by preventing transactions from seeing intermediate states of other transactions, which could lead to inconsistencies.

What are the different levels of isolation in databases?

There are several levels of isolation, including Read Uncommitted, Read Committed, Repeatable Read, and Serializable, each offering different trade-offs between performance and consistency.

How does isolation affect performance in a database?

Higher isolation levels can lead to reduced performance due to increased locking and blocking, while lower levels may improve performance but risk data anomalies.