Course Description

Prepare to pass exam: Oracle Database Program with PL/SQL

Oracle Advanced PL/SQL Developer Certified Professionals demonstrate expertise in database-centric Internet applications for Oracle Database 10g, 11g and 12c.

To successfully pass the Oracle Database Program with PL/SQL exam, dive deep into topics such as managing dependencies, optimizing code for performance, and using dynamic SQL for complex data operations. It's also important to understand working with cursors, collections, and large objects (LOBs), as these are frequently covered in the exam. Practice creating robust PL/SQL applications that handle exceptions efficiently and follow best practices in security and performance tuning. Leveraging Oracle's official study materials, sample exams, and hands-on labs will further enhance your preparedness. Focus on understanding real-world applications of PL/SQL programming to excel in practical scenarios.

Additionally, ensure you are comfortable with advanced PL/SQL features such as triggers, procedures, and packages, which are key components of the exam. Practicing with real-world coding challenges can help sharpen your problem-solving skills. Stay updated with the latest Oracle documentation and resources to align with the most current exam objectives and best practices.

Exam topics covered

Declaring PL/SQL Variables

• Recognize valid and invalid identifiers
• List the uses of variables, declare and initialize variables, use bind variables
• List and describe various data types using the %TYPE and %ROWTYPE attributes

Writing Executable Statements

• Identify lexical units in a PL/SQL block
  
• Use built-in SQL functions in PL/SQL and sequences in PL/SQL expressions
• Describe when implicit conversions take place and when explicit conversions have to be dealt with
• Write nested blocks and qualify variables with labels
• Write readable code with appropriate indentation

Writing SQL in PL/SQL

• Create PL/SQL executable blocks using DML and transaction control statements
  
• Make use of the INTO clause to hold the values returned by a SQL statement

Writing Control Structures

• Identify the uses and types of control structures (IF, CASE statements and expressions)
  
• Construct and identify loop statements
• Use EXIT and CONTINUE statements inside loops

Working with Composite Data Types

• Create user-defined PL/SQL records
  
• Create a record with the %ROWTYPE attribute
• Create an INDEX BY table and INDEX BY table of records
• Describe the differences among records, collections, and collections of records
• Initialize collections and records

Using Explicit Cursors

• Distinguish between implicit and explicit cursors and use SQL cursor attributes
  
• Declare and control explicit cursors, use simple loops and cursor FOR loops to fetch data
• Declare and use cursors with parameters
• Lock rows with the FOR UPDATE clause and reference the current row with the WHERE CURRENT OF clause

Handling Exceptions

• Define PL/SQL exceptions
  
• Recognize unhandled exceptions
• Handle different types of exceptions (internally defined exceptions, predefined exceptions and user-defined exceptions)
• Propagate exceptions

Using PL/SQL Subprograms

• Differentiate between anonymous blocks and subprograms
  
• Create a simple procedure and invoke it from an anonymous block
• Identify benefits of subprograms

Creating Procedures and Using Parameters

• Create a procedure with parameterrs
  
• Use named notation
• Work with procedures (create, invoke and remove procedures)
• Handle exceptions in procedures and display a procedure's information

Creating Functions

• Differentiate between a procedure and a function
  
• Describe the uses of functions
• Work with functions (create, invoke and remove functions)

Creating Packages

• Identify the benefits and the components of packages
  
• Work with packages (create package specification and body, invoke package subprograms, remove a package and display package information)
• Overload package subprograms and use forward declarations

Working with Packages

• Use package types and variables
  
• Use packaged constants and functions in SQL
• Use ACCESSIBLE BY to restrict access to package subprograms

Using Dynamic SQL

• Describe the execution flow of SQL statements
  
• Use Native Dynamic SQL (NDS)
• Bind PL/SQL types in SQL statements

Design Considerations for PL/SQL Code

• Create standard constants and exceptions
  
• Write and call local subprograms
• Control the run-time privileges of a subprogram
• Perform autonomous transactions
• Use NOCOPY hint, PARALLEL ENABLE hint and DETERMINISTIC clause
• Use bulk binding and the RETURNING clause with DML

Creating Compound, DDL, and Event Database Triggers

• Create triggers on DDL statements
  
• Create triggers on system events
• Describe different types of triggers and their uses

Using the PL/SQL Compiler

• Describe the PL/SQL compiler and features
  
• Use the PL/SQL compiler initialization parameters
• Use the PL/SQL compile time warnings

Managing PL/SQL Code

• Describe and use conditional compilation
  
• Code-based access control: granting roles to program units
• Whitelist code access with the ACCESSIBLE BY clause
• Mark code as deprecated

Managing Dependencies

• Track and manage procedural dependencies