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Difference between BEFORE and AFTER triggers?

Mid PostgreSQL
Quick Answer BEFORE trigger runs before the operation - can modify the NEW row or cancel the operation (return NULL). AFTER trigger runs after the operation completes - sees the final committed state. BEFORE triggers are used for: data validation, transforming input data, setting audit fields. AFTER triggers are used for: logging changes, maintaining denormalized data, sending notifications after successful operation.

Answer

BEFORE triggers validate or modify data before writes. AFTER triggers run after data is written.
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