[ statement-label : ]
BEGIN [ [ NOT ] ATOMIC ]
   [ local-declaration; ... ]
   statement-list
   [ EXCEPTION [ exception-case ... ] ]
END [ statement-label ]

local-declaration :
 variable-declaration
| cursor-declaration
| exception-declaration
| temporary-table-declaration

variable-declaration
DECLARE variable-name [, ... ] data-type [ { = | DEFAULT } initial-value ]

initial-value :
special-value
| string
| [ - ] number
| ( constant-expression )
| built-in-function ( constant-expression )
| NULL

special-value :
CURRENT { 
 DATABASE
   |DATE 
   | PUBLISHER 
   | TIME 
   | TIMESTAMP
   | USER 
   | UTC TIMESTAMP }
| USER

exception-declaration :
DECLARE exception-name EXCEPTION
FOR SQLSTATE [ VALUE ] string

exception-case :
 WHEN exception-name [, ... ] THEN statement-list
| WHEN OTHERS THEN statement-list

The body of a procedure or trigger is a compound statement. Compound statements can also be used in control statements within a procedure or trigger.

A compound statement allows one or more SQL statements to be grouped together and treated as a unit. A compound statement starts with the keyword BEGIN and ends with the keyword END.

If you specify initial-value, the variable is set to that value. If you do not specify an initial-value, the variable contains the NULL value until a different value is assigned by the SET statement.

If you specify initial-value, the data type must match the type defined by data-type.

None.

None.

• DECLARE CURSOR statement [ESQL] [SP]
• DECLARE LOCAL TEMPORARY TABLE statement
• CONTINUE statement
• SIGNAL statement
• RESIGNAL statement
• Using procedures, triggers, and batches
• Atomic compound statements
• Special values

The body of a procedure or trigger is a compound statement.

CREATE PROCEDURE TopCustomer (OUT TopCompany CHAR(35), OUT TopValue INT)
BEGIN
   DECLARE err_notfound EXCEPTION FOR
      SQLSTATE '02000';
   DECLARE curThisCust CURSOR FOR
      SELECT CompanyName, CAST(
            sum( SalesOrderItems.Quantity *
            Products.UnitPrice ) AS INTEGER) VALUE
      FROM Customers
            LEFT OUTER JOIN SalesOrders
            LEFT OUTER JOIN SalesOrderItems
            LEFT OUTER JOIN Products
      GROUP BY CompanyName;
   DECLARE ThisValue INT;
   DECLARE ThisCompany CHAR( 35 );
   SET TopValue = 0;
   OPEN curThisCust;
   CustomerLoop:
   LOOP
      FETCH NEXT curThisCust
         INTO ThisCompany, ThisValue;
      IF SQLSTATE = err_notfound THEN
         LEAVE CustomerLoop;
      END IF;
      IF ThisValue > TopValue THEN
         SET TopValue = ThisValue;
         SET TopCompany = ThisCompany;
      END IF;
   END LOOP CustomerLoop;
   CLOSE curThisCust;
END;

The example below declares the following variables:

• v1 as an INT with the initial setting of 5.
• v2 and v3 as CHAR(10), both with an initial value of abc.

BEGIN
   DECLARE v1 INT = 5
   DECLARE v2, v3 CHAR(10) = 'abc'
			// ...
END