Lesson 28 Advanced Level
28 of 30 lessons

Introduction to PL/SQL

Learn about PL/SQL programming language, its syntax, variables, and basic structure. PL/SQL extends SQL with procedural programming capabilities.

What is PL/SQL?

PL/SQL (Procedural Language for SQL) is Oracle's procedural extension of SQL. It allows you to write full programs to control logic, flow, and handle exceptions, all integrated with SQL operations.

Why Use PL/SQL?

  • Combines SQL with procedural logic
  • Supports variables, loops, conditions, and exceptions
  • Improves performance with stored procedures and functions
  • Encapsulates logic for reusability and security

Basic PL/SQL Block Structure

BEGIN
  -- PL/SQL Statements
  DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Hello from PL/SQL');
END;
/

Example: Declaring a Variable

DECLARE
  v_message VARCHAR2(50);
BEGIN
  v_message := 'Welcome to PL/SQL';
  DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(v_message);
END;
/

Sections of a PL/SQL Block

  • DECLARE: Optional section to declare variables, constants, etc.
  • BEGIN: Mandatory section to write executable code
  • EXCEPTION: Optional section for error handling
  • END: Marks the end of the block

Practice Task