In Microsoft SQL Server, the GO command is described as a signal to execute the entire batch of Transact SQL statements that appear after the previous GO statement. How accurate is this description?

Introduction / Context:
In SQL Server tools such as SQL Server Management Studio, scripts often contain the GO keyword between blocks of Transact SQL statements. Many learners are unsure whether GO is an SQL command, a data type, or something else. This question asks you to evaluate a description of GO as a signal for executing batches of statements.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The environment is Microsoft SQL Server using Transact SQL.
• Scripts are executed through tools that support the GO batch terminator.
• The description states that GO signals execution of the batch after the previous GO.
• We assume familiarity with running multi statement scripts.

Concept / Approach:
GO is not a Transact SQL statement executed by the SQL Server engine. Instead, it is a batch terminator recognized by client tools such as SQL Server Management Studio. When the tool encounters GO, it sends the batch of statements that appeared before GO to the server for compilation and execution. The next statements after GO form a new batch. In this way, GO signals the boundary between batches.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Transact SQL statements such as SELECT, INSERT, and CREATE PROCEDURE are sent to the server as batches. Step 2: Understand that GO is processed by the client tool and not by the database engine itself. Step 3: When the tool reads a script, it sends everything up to GO as one batch, then sends subsequent blocks as separate batches. Step 4: Recognize that the description in the question essentially states that GO is a signal to execute the batch after the previous GO, which is consistent with this behavior. Step 5: Conclude that the description is accurate in the context of how scripts are executed in SQL Server tools.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can test this behavior by writing a script that creates a temporary table, then places GO, and then attempts to use that temporary table. Because the temporary table is scoped to the batch, it may not be visible in the subsequent batch after GO, demonstrating that GO has created a batch boundary. This behavior confirms that GO marks the end of a batch and prompts execution of the preceding statements.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The description is not accurate; GO is a numeric data type rather than a batch terminator is incorrect because GO is not a data type. The description is not accurate; GO is used only to create infinite loops inside stored procedures is wrong, as loop constructs use WHILE, not GO. The description is not accurate; GO is a command understood and executed directly by the SQL Server database engine in all SQL dialects is misleading because the server engine does not interpret GO and other database systems may not support it. The description is not accurate; GO cancels execution of the previous batch and ignores it is also wrong because GO causes the preceding batch to be executed, not canceled.

Common Pitfalls:
A common misunderstanding is treating GO as part of the SQL language itself. This can cause confusion when moving scripts to environments or tools that do not recognize GO. Remember that GO is a client side batch terminator used for convenience in scripting, and that batch boundaries can affect variable scope, temporary objects, and certain DDL commands.

Final Answer:
The correct evaluation is that the description is accurate; GO marks the end of a batch and causes the preceding batch to be sent for execution.