ISC Databases · Updated November 2026
ACID Properties: What Makes a Database Transaction Reliable?
ACID describes the properties that help database transactions remain reliable even when errors or concurrent activity occur.
Atomicity
A transaction is treated as a complete unit: either all required steps succeed or the transaction is rolled back.
Consistency
A valid transaction moves the database from one valid state to another while preserving defined rules and constraints.
Isolation
Concurrent transactions should not improperly interfere with each other's intermediate work.
Durability
Once a transaction is successfully committed, the change should persist even after a failure or restart.
The takeaway
Atomicity is all-or-nothing. Consistency preserves rules. Isolation separates concurrent transactions. Durability keeps committed changes.
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FAQ
Which property means all or nothing?
Atomicity.
Which property protects committed changes?
Durability.
Does isolation relate to concurrent transactions?
Yes.