# Database-wide properties

Database-wide properties, which affect a single database, are stored within the database itself. This allows different databases within a single Derby system to have different properties and ensures that the properties are correctly set when a database is moved away from its original system or copied.
Note: You should use database-wide properties wherever possible for ease of deployment.

You set and verify database-wide properties using system procedures within SQL statements.

To set a property, you connect to the database, create a statement, and then use the `SYSCS_UTIL.SYSCS_SET_DATABASE_PROPERTY` procedure, passing the name of the property and the value.

To check the current value of a property, you connect to the database, create a statement, and then use the `SYSCS_UTIL.SYSCS_GET_DATABASE_PROPERTY` function, passing in the name of the property.

If you specify an invalid value, Derby uses the default value for the property.

See the Java DB Reference Manual for more information on how to use these system functions and procedures.

Parent topic: Ways of setting Derby properties
Related concepts
System-wide properties
In a client/server environment
Dynamic or static changes to properties