Stored procedures are blocks of SQL code that are stored in the database. Think of them as reusable functions that can perform complex tasks. Instead of writing the same SQL statements repeatedly in different parts of your application, you define them once within the database. This significantly improves code organization and maintainability. Stored procedures can accept input parameters, allowing you to tailor the results to specific needs. They also enhance security by restricting direct access to database tables, forcing users to interact through the procedure. This is crucial for protecting sensitive data and enforcing access control. Furthermore, stored procedures are pre-compiled, meaning they are optimized for execution within the database, leading to improved performance compared to executing the same statements directly from an application.