Difference between a inline function and a view

Question

I am a newbie in using functions and it appears to me that an inline function is very similar to a view. Am I correct?

Also, can I have UPDATE statements within a fu

Answer 1

Answering your question about updates in a function (msdn):

The only changes that can be made by the statements in the function are changes to objects local to the function, such as local cursors or variables. Modifications to database tables, operations on cursors that are not local to the function, sending e-mail, attempting a catalog modification, and generating a result set that is returned to the user are examples of actions that cannot be performed in a function.

Answer 2

One big difference is that a function can take parameters whereas a VIEW cannot.

I tend to favour VIEWs, being a Standard and therefore portable implementation. I use functions when the equivalent VIEW would be meaningless without a WHERE clause.

For example, I have a function that queries a relatively large valid-time state table ('history' table). If this was a VIEW and you tried to query it without a WHERE clause you'd get a whole lot of fairly data (eventually!) Using a function establishes a contract that if you want the data then you must supply a customer ID, a start date and an end date and the function is how I establish this contact. Why not a stored proc? Well, I expect a user to want to JOIN the resultset to further data (tables, VIEWs, functions, etc) and a function is IMO the best way of doing this rather then, say, requiring the user to write the resultset to a temporary table.

Answer 3

A function performs a task, or many tasks. A view retrieves data via a query. What ever fits in that query is what you are limited too. In a function I can update, select, create table variables, delete some data, send an email, interact with a CLR that I create, etc. Way more powerful than a lowly view!