Cursors are a powerful tool in SQL that allow you to traverse a result set one row at a time. Imagine you need to update a table based on conditions within the data itself. A cursor lets you do this. Unlike other methods that process the entire result set at once, cursors offer fine-grained control over each row. This is crucial for tasks like complex data validation, custom calculations, or intricate updates. For instance, you might need to update a customer's address only if their order total exceeds a certain threshold. A cursor allows you to check this condition for each order individually. Cursors are often used in conjunction with loops or other procedural logic to perform actions on each row. However, they can be less efficient than set-based operations for simple tasks, so consider alternative approaches when possible. A key aspect of cursors is that they manage the result set's position, allowing you to move forward or backward through the rows. This is essential for tasks requiring sequential processing or conditional updates.