What is the purpose of cascade in MySQL?

In MySQL, CASCADE is an option for foreign key constraints that specifies how related records in a child table should be handled when records in a parent table are updated or deleted. Essentially, CASCADE dictates what action should be taken on the child records in such cases.

1. When a record in the parent table is updated, CASCADE specifies that related records in the child table will also be updated to maintain consistency.
2. When records in the parent table are deleted, CASCADE specifies that related records in the child table will also be deleted to maintain consistency.

By using the CASCADE option, you can ensure that the relationship between parent and child tables is correctly maintained, preventing data inconsistency. However, it is important to be cautious when using the CASCADE option as it may lead to unexpected deletion operations.