Basic PL/pgSQL executable statements

The following table lists all of the basic PL/pgSQL executable statements.

The Statement Name column links to the page where the semantics are described.
The Syntax rule name column links to the definition on the omnibus Grammar Diagrams reference page.

STATEMENT NAME	SYNTAX RULE NAME	COMMENT
"assert" statement	plpgsql_assert_stmt	abort the current server call if the assertion tests "false"
"assign" statement	plpgsql_assignment_stmt	e.g. "a := b + c;" and "v := (select count(*) from s.t)". No further explanation is needed.
Bare SQL statement	plpgsql_static_bare_sql_stmt	ANY embedded SQL statement (including DDL, etc) that doesn't return values
"close" statement	plpgsql_close_cursor_stmt	close a cursor (using "refcursor" variable)
"continue" statement	plpgsql_continue_stmt	start the next iteration of a loop (or enclosing loop)
"execute" statement	plpgsql_dynamic_sql_stmt	execute a dynamic SQL statement, optionally with "into" clause for returned values
"exit" statement	plpgsql_exit_stmt	exit from a loop (or enclosing loop)
"fetch" statement	plpgsql_fetch_from_cursor_stmt	fetch from a cursor (using "refcursor" variable)
"get diagnostics" statement	plpgsql_get_diagnostics_stmt	get diagnostic info about the most-recently-executed SQL statement
"get stacked diagnostics" statement	plpgsql_get_stacked_diagnostics_stmt	get diagnostic info about the exception that brought the point of execution to the present handler
"insert, update, delete into" statement	plpgsql_static_dml_returning_stmt	embedded "insert", "update", or "delete" statement with "into" clause for returned values
"move" statement	plpgsql_move_in_cursor_stmt	move in cursor — not yet supported, see Beware Issue #6514
"open" statement	plpgsql_open_cursor_stmt	open a cursor (using "refcursor" variable)
"perform" statement	plpgsql_perform_stmt	execute a "select" statement without returning rows
"raise" statement	plpgsql_raise_stmt	"raise info" or... "warning" or... "exception"
"return" statement	plpgsql_return_stmt	exit from subprogram to caller, optionally returning value(s)
"select into" statement	plpgsql_static_select_into_stmt	embedded single-row "select" with "into" clause for returned values