Oracle makes it a point to include improvements in PL/SQL every time it releases a new version of Oracle Database.
The release of Oracle Database 10g was no exception. Let us take a look back at how Oracle improved PL/SQL back then.
Faster PL/SQL
Oracle Database 10g included a compiler and a better-tuned execution environment for PL/SQL, leading to execution times that are 2x faster than before.
Before Oracle Database 10g, PL/SQL was very slow when it was used as a conventional programming language to write procedural code for the database and SQL.
Oracle brought in a new PL/SQL execution environment and a new compiler in Oracle Database 10g. And the changes were worth it. Oracle found that PL/SQL statements on 10g ran at least 1.2 times faster and sometimes even 1.6x faster than in earlier Oracle Database versions.
In order to do this, the compiler would need to reorganize your source code and optimize it to run faster. The compiler has some minor changes to how your PL/SQL program would behave but these are too insignificant to notice. What you do notice is that your PL/SQL programs run faster and performs better.
New Language Tools
PL/SQL for Oracle Database 10G had new language tools that had efficient implementations and that made life easier for the programmer. These features were first introduced into SQL, and so Oracle had to add them to PL/SQL to make sure that PL/SQL would still be a relevant language for executing SQL statements. These features include:
- the introduction of IEEE datatypes such as binary_double and binary_float
- introducing values and indices of all syntax for forall
- pls_integer and binary_integer are now treated the same
More PL/SQL Packages
These packages allow you to lengthen the use of Oracle DB when you have a functionality that SQL cannot perform. In short, PL/SQL packages enable you to get more out of your Oracle Database.
In 10g, there are three new supplied packages:
- Dbms_Warning. Dbms_Warning gives programmers better control over the warnings you get when you install scripts. You get to specify what categories of warnings you would see. You are also able to specify which warnings to enable, disable or flag as errors.
- Utl_Mail. Utl_Mail allows you to send composed e-mails without having to learn a single thing of SMTP. Utl_Mail is also much simpler because it is focused on a subclass of the Utl_Smtp, which was the only option available in earlier releases.
- Utl_Compress. Utl_Compress allows you zip and unzip a blob or raw bytestream.
Over the years, Oracle has released more and more versions of their Oracle Database. Each release features improvements when it comes to PL/SQL. If you need to wrap your head on these improvements and new features, as well as everything else that is related to Oracle Database, then call Four Cornerstone. Let us talk to you about our Oracle Database consulting and Oracle DBA training so that you could get the most out of your Oracle investments!
You can download PL/SQL here.
Photo courtesy of OraFaq.
