Learning the Basics in No Time

Learn the Basics in No Time, the first volume of the SQL and PL/SQL in Practice series, is for Oracle database programmers. If you have no prior or limited skill of SQL and PL/SQL, and you want to learn to use the two individually or together, then this book is perfect for you. SQL (Structured Query Language) is the standard database language. PL/SQL (Procedural Language/SQL) is the procedural language extension of SQL. PL/SQL is integrated within the Oracle database. When you install an Oracle database, PL/SQL is included in the installation. A PL/SQL program can have both SQL statements and procedural statements. In the program, the SQL statements are used to manipulate sets of data stored in a database, while the procedural statements are used to process individual piece of data and control the program flow by, for example, using the if-then-else and looping structures. The book has three parts. In Part I you will learn: how to store and maintain SQL data and to query the data; in Part II, the parts of a PL/SQL program and how to use if-then and loop control structures; and in Part III, how to embed, control the flow of SQL statements and process the rows returned by SQL query, within PL/SQL program. When you finish reading the book and trying its examples, you would have equipped yourself with SQL and PL/SQL fundamental skills.