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## SQLite C Interface

## Destroy A Prepared Statement Object

>     int sqlite3_finalize(sqlite3_stmt *pStmt);

The sqlite3_finalize() function is called to delete a prepared statement. If the most recent evaluation of the statement encountered no errors or if the statement is never been evaluated, then sqlite3_finalize() returns SQLITE_OK. If the most recent evaluation of statement S failed, then sqlite3_finalize(S) returns the appropriate error code or extended error code.

The sqlite3_finalize(S) routine can be called at any point during the life cycle of prepared statement S: before statement S is ever evaluated, after one or more calls to sqlite3_reset(), or after any call to sqlite3_step() regardless of whether or not the statement has completed execution.

Invoking sqlite3_finalize() on a NULL pointer is a harmless no-op.

The application must finalize every prepared statement in order to avoid resource leaks. It is a grievous error for the application to try to use a prepared statement after it has been finalized. Any use of a prepared statement after it has been finalized can result in undefined and undesirable behavior such as segfaults and heap corruption.

See also lists of Objects, Constants, and Functions.