⟩ How Many Ways to Create Table-Valued Functions?
SQL Server supports two syntax of creating table-valued functions:
1. Inline Table-valued Functions - A table-valued function created with a single SELECT statement:
CREATE FUNCTION function_name(
@parameter_1 data_type,
@parameter_2 data_type,
...
@parameter_n data_type
)
RETURNS TABLE
AS
RETURN (select_statement);
2. Multi-statement Table-valued Functions - A table-valued function created with a local temporary table and a statement block:
CREATE FUNCTION function_name(
@parameter_1 data_type,
@parameter_2 data_type,
...
@parameter_n data_type
)
RETURNS @table_variable_name TABLE (
column_definition_list)
AS BEGIN
statement_1;
statement_2;
...
statement_n;
RETURN
END
