T-SQL How To End An IF-ELSE IF-ELSE Block

In T-SQL, an IF-ELSE IF-ELSE block is ended implicitly by the next statement or the end of the batch, as T-SQL does not require a special END keyword to close the IF block in the same way some other programming languages do.

Here’s a basic structure of an IF-ELSE IF-ELSE block in T-SQL:

Syntax:

IF condition1
BEGIN
    -- SQL statements for condition1
END
ELSE IF condition2
BEGIN
    -- SQL statements for condition2
END
ELSE
BEGIN
    -- SQL statements for the ELSE case
END

Example:

DECLARE @value INT = 10;

IF @value > 15
BEGIN
    PRINT 'Value is greater than 15';
END
ELSE IF @value = 10
BEGIN
    PRINT 'Value is equal to 10';
END
ELSE
BEGIN
    PRINT 'Value is less than 10';
END

Key Points:

• IF: Executes a block of code if the condition is true.
• ELSE IF: Executes a block of code if the previous IF condition was false and this condition is true.
• ELSE: Executes a block of code if none of the previous conditions were true.
• Each block of code inside the BEGIN ... END is optional, depending on whether you need multiple statements inside the condition.
• The END keyword is used to close the BEGIN ... END block for each condition but not to close the entire IF-ELSE block itself.

Important Note:

• T-SQL allows you to group multiple statements under a condition using BEGIN and END, but if you only have a single statement, the BEGIN and END are not required.
• The END is only needed to group multiple statements inside a BEGIN ... END block.

Example without BEGIN ... END (single statement):

IF @value > 15
    PRINT 'Value is greater than 15';
ELSE IF @value = 10
    PRINT 'Value is equal to 10';
ELSE
    PRINT 'Value is less than 10';

In this case, no BEGIN or END is required because each block contains just one statement.