Difference between @@IDENTITY, SCOPE_IDENTITY () and IDENT_CURRENT in SQL Server

Introduction:

This article explains difference between @@identity, scope_identity and ident_current in sql server with example. Generally @@identity, scope_identity and ident_current properties in sql server is used to get identity / id value of last or newly inserted record in table but only difference is scope either local or global and session either current session or other session in sql server.

 @@IDENTITY

It will return last or newly inserted record id of any table in current session but it’s not limited to current scope. In current session if any trigger or functions inserted record in any table that it will return that latest inserted record id regardless of table. We need to use this property whenever we don’t have any other functions or triggers that run automatically.

Syntax

SELECT @@IDENTITY

IDENT_CURRENT

This property will return last or newly inserted record id of specified table. It’s not limited to any session or scope it’s limited to mentioned table so it will return last inserted record id of specified table.

Syntax 

SELECT IDENT_CURRENT(table_name)

Finally we can say SCOPE_IDENTITY properties is best to get newly inserted record id from executed stored procedure or query when compared with other properties.

Example-  

 CREATE TABLE SAMPLE1 (Id INT IDENTITY)
CREATE TABLE SAMPLE2 (Id INT IDENTITY(100,1))
-- Trigger to execute while inserting data into SAMPLE1 table
GO
CREATE TRIGGER TRGINSERT ON SAMPLE1 FOR INSERT
AS
BEGIN
INSERT SAMPLE2 DEFAULT VALUES
END
GO

SELECT * FROM SAMPLE1  -- It will return empty value
SELECT * FROM SAMPLE2  -- It will return empty value

  When we execute above statements we will get output like as shown below.

Now we will insert default values in “SAMPLE1” table by executing following query and check values of @@identity, scope_identity() and ident_current(‘tablenae’)

INSERT SAMPLE1 DEFAULT VALUES

SELECT @@IDENTITY  -- It returns value 100 this was inserted by trigger

SELECT SCOPE_IDENTITY()  -- It returns value 1 this was inserted by insert query in SAMPLE1

SELECT IDENT_CURRENT('SAMPLE2') -- It returns value inserted in SAMPLE2 table

 Our output will be like as shown below