In the context of data management, autocommit is a mode of operation of a database connection

Database connection

A database connection is a facility in computer science that allows client software to communicate with database server software, whether on the same machine or not. A connection is required to send commands and receive answers....

. Each individual database interaction (i.e., each SQL

SQL

SQL is a programming language designed for managing data in relational database management systems ....

 statement) submitted through the database connection

Database connection

A database connection is a facility in computer science that allows client software to communicate with database server software, whether on the same machine or not. A connection is required to send commands and receive answers....

 in autocommit mode will be executed in its own transaction

Database transaction

A transaction comprises a unit of work performed within a database management system against a database, and treated in a coherent and reliable way independent of other transactions...

 that is implicitly committed. An SQL

SQL

SQL is a programming language designed for managing data in relational database management systems ....

 statement executed in autocommit mode cannot be rolled back

Rollback (data management)

In database technologies, a rollback is an operation which returns the database to some previous state. Rollbacks are important for database integrity, because they mean that the database can be restored to a clean copy even after erroneous operations are performed...

. Autocommit mode incurs per-statement transaction

Database transaction

A transaction comprises a unit of work performed within a database management system against a database, and treated in a coherent and reliable way independent of other transactions...

 overhead, having often undesirable performance or resource utilization impact.

The alternative to autocommit mode (non-autocommit) means that the SQL

SQL

SQL is a programming language designed for managing data in relational database management systems ....

 client

Client (computing)

A client is an application or system that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network....

 application itself is responsible for issuing transaction initiation (start transaction) and termination (commit

Commit (data management)

In the context of computer science and data management, commit refers to the idea of making a set of tentative changes permanent. A popular usage is at the end of a transaction. A commit is an act of committing.-Data management:...

or rollback

Rollback (data management)

In database technologies, a rollback is an operation which returns the database to some previous state. Rollbacks are important for database integrity, because they mean that the database can be restored to a clean copy even after erroneous operations are performed...

) commands. Transaction initiation command is often implied and not necessary. Non-autocommit mode enables grouping of multiple data manipulation SQL

SQL

SQL is a programming language designed for managing data in relational database management systems ....

 commands into a single atomic transaction.