DBMS: Transactions (Definitions)

"A mechanism for ensuring that a set of actions is treated as a single unit of work." (Karen Paulsell et al, "Sybase SQL Server: Performance and Tuning Guide", 1996)

"A series of SQL statements that constitute an atomic unit of work: either all are committed as a unit or they are all rolled back as a unit. A transaction begins with the first statement since the last transaction end and finishes with a transaction end (either COMMIT or ROLLBACK) statement." (Peter Gulutzan & Trudy Pelzer, "SQL Performance Tuning", 2002)

"A group of database operations combined into a logical unit of work that is either wholly committed or rolled back. A transaction is atomic, consistent, isolated, and durable." (Anthony Sequeira & Brian Alderman, "The SQL Server 2000 Book", 2003)

"A logical unit of work consisting of one or more SQL statements that must all succeed or all fail to keep the database in a logically consistent state. A transfer of funds from a bank account is a logical transaction, in that both the withdrawal from one account and the deposit to another account must succeed for the transaction to succeed." (Bob Bryla, "Oracle Database Foundations", 2004)

"A series of database operations that should be treated as a single atomic operation so either they all occur or none of them occur." (Rod Stephens, "Beginning Database Design Solutions", 2008)

"One or more SQL statements that make up a unit of work performed against the database. Either all the statements in a transaction are committed as a unit or all the statements are rolled back as a unit." (John Goodson & Robert A Steward, "The Data Access Handbook", 2009)

"A group of database operations combined into a logical unit of work that is either wholly committed or rolled back. A transaction is atomic, consistent, isolated, and durable." (Jim Joseph, "Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services Unleashed", 2009)

"An atomic unit of work with respect to recovery and consistency." (Craig S Mullins, "Database Administration: The Complete Guide to DBA Practices and Procedures" 2nd Ed, 2012)

"An atomic unit of work with respect to recovery and consistency." (Craig S Mullins, "Database Administration", 2012)

"Each individual purchase. Each time customers swipe a card, shell out cash, or press the purchase confirmation button online, a transaction takes place. This data often is referred to as transaction log (T-log) data." (Brittany Bullard, "Style and Statistics", 2016)