What are the datatypes available in PL/SQL?

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There are two types of datatypes in PL/SQL:

  • Scalar datatypes Example are NUMBER, VARCHAR2, DATE, CHAR, LONG, BOOLEAN etc.
  • Composite datatypes Example are RECORD, TABLE etc.

PL/SQL (Procedural Language/Structured Query Language) is an extension of SQL that is used to integrate procedural constructs with SQL statements. In PL/SQL, there are several data types available. Some of the common data types include:

  1. Scalar Data Types:
    • NUMBER: Used for numeric data.
    • VARCHAR2/CHAR: Used for character strings.
    • DATE: Used for date and time values.
    • BOOLEAN: Used for Boolean values (TRUE, FALSE, or NULL).
  2. Composite Data Types:
    • RECORD: Used to hold related data items.
    • TABLE: Used to hold an indexed collection of data elements.
    • VARRAY: Variable-size arrays.
    • Nested Table: Unbounded array.
  3. Reference Data Types:
    • REF CURSOR: Used for returning result sets from stored procedures or functions.
    • REF: Used for creating a reference to an instance of an object type.
  4. LOB Data Types:
    • CLOB (Character Large Object): Used for large blocks of character data.
    • BLOB (Binary Large Object): Used for large blocks of binary data.
  5. Other Data Types:
    • BINARY_INTEGER: Used for integer values.
    • PLS_INTEGER: Similar to BINARY_INTEGER but has implementation-specific characteristics.
    • BOOLEAN: Represents TRUE, FALSE, or NULL.

It’s essential to note that the specific data types available in PL/SQL may vary depending on the Oracle Database version. Always refer to the documentation corresponding to your database version for the most accurate and up-to-date information.