Create CLR triggers

Applies to: SQL Server

You can create a database object inside SQL Server that is programmed in an assembly created in the .NET Framework common language runtime (CLR). Database objects that can use the rich programming model provided by the CLR include DML triggers, DDL triggers, stored procedures, functions, aggregate functions, and types.

Creating a CLR trigger (DML or DDL) in SQL Server involves the following steps:

• Define the trigger as a class in a .NET Framework-supported language. For more information about how to program triggers in the CLR, see CLR Triggers. Then, compile the class to build an assembly in the .NET Framework using the appropriate language compiler.

• Register the assembly in SQL Server using the CREATE ASSEMBLY statement. For more information about assemblies in SQL Server, see Assemblies (Database Engine).

• Create the trigger that references the registered assembly.

Note

Deploying a SQL Server Project in Visual Studio registers an assembly in the database that was specified for the project. Deploying the project also creates CLR triggers in the database for all methods annotated with the SqlTrigger attribute. For more information, see Deploy CLR database objects.

Executing CLR code is off by default in SQL Server. You can create, alter, and drop database objects that reference managed code modules, but these references don't execute in SQL Server, unless the clr enabled server configuration option is enabled by using sp_configure.

Create, modify, or drop an assembly

• CREATE ASSEMBLY
• ALTER ASSEMBLY
• DROP ASSEMBLY

Create a CLR trigger

• CREATE TRIGGER

Related content

• DML Triggers
• Common language runtime (CLR) integration programming concepts
• Data access from CLR database objects