SQL Objects

SQL Objects

Database Connection Handle

typedef struct sqlite3 sqlite3;

Each open SQLite database is represented by a pointer to an instance of the opaque structure named "sqlite3". It is useful to think of an sqlite3 pointer as an object. The sqlite3_open(), sqlite3_open16(), and sqlite3_open_v2() interfaces are its constructors, and sqlite3_close() and sqlite3_close_v2() are its destructors. There are many other interfaces (such as sqlite3_prepare_v2(), sqlite3_create_function(), and sqlite3_busy_timeout() to name but three) that are methods on an sqlite3 object.

SQL Statement Object

typedef struct sqlite3_stmt sqlite3_stmt;

An instance of this object represents a single SQL statement. This object is variously known as a "prepared statement" or a "compiled SQL statement" or simply as a "statement".

The life of a statement object goes something like this:

1. Create the object using sqlite3_prepare_v2() or a related function.
2. Bind values to host parameters using the sqlite3_bind_*() interfaces.
3. Run the SQL by calling sqlite3_step() one or more times.
4. Reset the statement using sqlite3_reset() then go back to step 2. Do this zero or more times.
5. Destroy the object using sqlite3_finalize().