Database Reference
In-Depth Information
PL/SQL is tightly integrated with SQL. With PL/SQL, you can use all SQL data manipu-
lation, cursor control, and transaction control statements, and all SQL functions, operators,
and pseudo columns.PL/SQL fully supports SQL data types. You need not convert between
PL/SQL and SQL data types. For example, if your PL/SQL program retrieves a value from
a database column of the SQL type VARCHAR2, it can store that value in a PL/SQL vari-
able of the type VARCHAR2.
Branching, conditional checking and looping is possible in PL/SQL.
Entire block of PL/SQL program is sent to RDBMS engine in single step. This can
drastically reduce network traffic between the database and an application. A user can use
PL/SQL blocks and subprograms (procedures and functions) to group SQL statements be-
fore sending them to the database for execution.
PL/SQL also deals with error generated during execution of code. With PL/SQL user
friendly messages can be displayed.
We can declare variables in PL/SQL blocks of code. These variables are used to store
results of a query.
PL/SQL is also used to perform different kind of calculation without using RDBMS en-
gine.
PL/SQL stored subprograms move application code from the client to the server, where
user can protect it from tampering, hide the internal details, and restrict who has access.
Applications written in PL/SQL can run on any operating system and platform where the
database runs.
