PL/SQL stands for “Procedural Language extensions to the Structured Query Language.” Oracle PL/SQL is an extension of SQL language that combines the data manipulation power of SQL with the processing power of procedural language to create compelling SQL queries. It is one of three basic programming languages embedded in the Oracle Database, together with SQL and Java. PL/SQL means instructing the compiler ‘what to do’ through SQL and ‘how to do’ through its substantive way. Compared to other database languages, it gives more control to the programmers by the use of loops, conditions and object-oriented concepts. It is a high-performance, highly integrated database language. Oracle created PL/SQL that holds out a few limitations of SQL to provide a more comprehensive solution for building mission-critical applications running on the oracle database. PL/SQL by enhancing the security, portability, and robustness of the Database, ensures the impeccable processing of SQL statements.
Following are certain significant facts about PL/SQL:
- Entirely a portable, high-performance transaction-processing language.
- It provides a built-in, interpreted, and Operating System independent programming environment.
- It can directly be termed from the interface command-line SQL*Plus.
- External programming language calls to the database can be labeled directly.
- PL/SQL’s general syntax is based on that of ADA and Pascal programming language.
- It is available in TimesTen in-memory database and IBM DB2, apart from Oracle.
Features of PL/SQL
Some of the salient features are:
- PL SQL takes place with a default, interpreted, and operating system independent language.
- It is used out of the command line. Using a single command, PL/SQL executes a number of queries.
- It is an efficient, portable, and transaction processing language and supports multiple data types.
- PL/SQL syntax is obtained from Pascal programming language
- It has an extensive error checking, and data hiding features.
- Works in close relation with SQL.
- With the help of functions and procedures which assists a large variety of programming structures.
- It is owned for web and server page development.
- PL/SQL units allows the use of loops, conditions, procedures, functions, triggers, constants, variables, arrays, etc. that are stored in the database after the generation.
- A text in PL/SQL comprises with identifiers, literals, delimiters and comments. As it is case insensitive.
- PL/SQL provides the functionality of a procedural language which is used for decision making, iteration programming, etc.
- PL/SQL also has an exception handling block that handles the exceptions in PL/SQL.
- The applications developed in PL/SQL are portable to other hardware and operating systems provided oracle must be operational.
Why is PL/SQL so widely used?
PL/SQL is a convention to work with Oracle and is firmly associated with Oracle database. Because of this it works with a relational database where it owns a quarter of the market share for programming languages. It is good that it has a complete Oracle database in the RDBMS space. It makes it even better as PL/SQL takes all that is good with the SQL. This builds managing database tasks, optimizing database performance extremely easy. In the view of the fact PL/SQL is the procedural language it tells how things need to be executed than just what needs to be done.
Important Difference between SQL and PL/SQL
SQL as it is a single query, it is used to perform DML and DDL operations. Whereas PL/SQL is a block of codes that used to write the entire program blocks, procedures, functions, etc.
SQL is declarative, rather than how things are to be done should be defined what need to be done. As well PL/SQL part is procedural, it defines how the things are to be done.
SQL carry out as a single statement and PL/SQL perform as a whole block.
SQL primarily used to manipulate data and PL/SQL creates an application.
Interaction with a Database server we see in SQL. Whereas there is no interaction with the database server in PL/SQL.
SQL cannot contain PL/SQL code in it. But PL/SQL is an extension of SQL, so that it can contain SQL inside it.
Advantages of PL/SQL
- PL/SQL is strongly integrated with SQL. It supports dynamic and static SQL. Static SQL does DML operations and the control of transaction is controlled from PL/SQL block. In Dynamic SQL embeds DDL statements in PL/SQL blocks.
- At one at a time it allows to send an entire block of statements to the database. This helps in improving the performance of the applications and also reduces network traffic.
- It gives potency to programmers as it can query, change, and modify data in the database.
- Applications developed in PL/SQL are secured and provides support of object-oriented concepts.
- PL/SQL can develop robust applications. It has predefined packages in SQL.
- PL/SQL gives support for developing Web Applications and Server Pages Applications.
- It supports the variable declaration within the blocks. During the processing of the query these variables are utilized.
- It can present various records from multiple tables simultaneously.
Disadvantages of PL/SQL
- Uses high memory to store Procedures in PL/SQL
- Any change in underlying database, also be in need of change in the presentation layer
- It cannot completely separate the roles of back-end developer and front-end developer
- Shortfall in functionality of debugging in stored procedures
- It is challenging to separate HTML development with PL/SQL development.
Conclusion
If you are interested in building a career to be as a database developer, data analyst or even a data scientist then you need to learn PL/SQL. It is being an important programming language, it is used extensively by developers in developing present day applications. If you are looking for a complete PL/SQL Training Course, you are at the right place. This Gologica’s Online Training provides you with a comprehensive PL/SQL learning that helps you adapt concepts of PL/SQL quickly from scratch. It opens a wide new bunch of opportunities for you from this Procedural Language that is a development of SQL. Get your strong fundamentals by enhancing on this PL/SQL domain and apply for the best jobs in the industry. Happy Learning!!