PL/SQL

Last updated Feb 21, 2024

PL/SQL, short for Procedural Language for SQL, serves as Oracle Corporation’s procedural extension to SQL, enriching the relational database experience. It’s integrated within Oracle Database starting from version 6, introducing stored procedures, functions, packages, and triggers by version 7. Additionally, it’s part of the Times Ten in-memory database from version 11.2.1 and has been adopted by IBM Db2 since version 9.7.

With each new release of the Oracle Database, Oracle Corporation further enhances PL/SQL’s capabilities.

This language extension is not just about procedural enhancements like conditions and loops; it’s also adept at handling exceptions (runtime errors). It supports the declaration of constants and variables, along with the definition of procedures, functions, packages, types, and triggers. Arrays find their use through PL/SQL collections, facilitating complex data handling.

From version 8 onwards, Oracle Database’s implementations have embraced features leaning towards object-orientation, allowing the creation of PL/SQL units such as procedures, functions, packages, types, and triggers. These are storable within the database, ready to be utilized by applications leveraging any Oracle Database programmatic interfaces.

The journey of PL/SQL began with its first public unveiling in 1995, tracing back to Oracle’s foundation around 1992. It proudly aligns with the ISO SQL/PSM standard, marking a significant milestone in its developmental history.

Origin:
References:
Created 2023-12-22