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# SET

## Synopsis

```text theme={null}
SET identifier = expression
```

## Description

Use the `SET` statement in [SQL routines](/sql/routines/introduction) to assign a
value to a variable, referenced by comma-separated `identifier`s. The
value is determined by evaluating the `expression` after the `=` sign.

Before the assignment the variable must be defined with a `DECLARE` statement.
The data type of the variable must be identical to the data type of evaluating
the `expression`.

## Examples

The following functions returns the value `1` after setting the counter variable
multiple times to different values:

```sql theme={null}
FUNCTION one()
  RETURNS bigint
  BEGIN
    DECLARE counter tinyint DEFAULT 1;
    SET counter = 0;
    SET counter = counter + 2;
    SET counter = counter / counter;
    RETURN counter;
  END
```

Further examples of varying complexity that cover usage of the `SET` statement
in combination with other statements are available in the [SQL routines examples
documentation](/sql/routines/examples).

## See also

* [routines](/sql/routines/introduction)
* [declare](/sql/routines/declare)