Strengths and weaknesses of trigger mechanisms

Strengths and Weaknesses of Triggers / Advantages and Disadvantages of using Triggers / Merits and Demerits of Trigger mechanisms

 

Strengths and Weaknesses of Triggers / Trigger mechanisms

Strengths

• Used for enforcing referential integrity.
• Easy to implement business rules through triggers.
• Event logging is easier.
• It can control transactions hence lead to safer transactions.
• Consistency is maintained.
• Efficiency in performing transactions.
• Cascading referential integrity.
• Implicitly called for actions during database changes. Very much helpful in a case where many changes need to be done on different tables for a single action.

Weaknesses

• Triggers should be written with extra care. Trigger error may lead to failure of insert, delete, or update operations at runtime.
• Excessive use of triggers can result in complex interdependencies. For example, cascading triggers can induce chain of actions.
• Increased complexity.
• May decrease the performance of the database.
• Every time a trigger is fired, its code must be recompiled.
• Database triggers can be accidentally disabled or dropped by a person with sufficient privilege.
• The hidden nature of triggers is another important weakness.