Oracle SQL & PL-SQL Fundamentals

The Oracle data dictionary is the definitive reference for understanding your database. You’ll learn to query system views to uncover critical metadata, from column data types and key relationships to index definitions and table dependencies. Mastering these skills enables you to quickly familiarise yourself with new or inherited databases, produce accurate technical documentation, and diagnose structural issues before they impact operations. 

Dynamic SQL allows you to construct and execute SQL statements at runtime, offering flexibility for building scripts that adapt to different data and environments. You’ll explore key commands, parameter binding, and safe handling techniques to reduce security risks such as SQL injection. Through practical exercises, you’ll identify when dynamic SQL is the most efficient choice and when static SQL is more reliable, equipping you to make informed decisions in real-world projects. 

Beyond simple joins, you’ll learn to implement complex multi-table queries, including full outer joins, self-joins, and ANSI-standard join syntax for greater portability. You’ll also write advanced subqueries, such as correlated subqueries, multi-column subqueries, and inline views, to solve challenging reporting requirements. This course focuses on producing queries that are both accurate and performance-optimised, ensuring they scale effectively for large datasets. 

You’ll develop the ability to create modular, maintainable PL/SQL programmes that combine procedural logic with SQL operations. Starting with anonymous blocks, you’ll progress to using variables, constants, loops, and conditional structures. You’ll also handle exceptions with precision, work with both implicit and explicit cursors, and use records and associative arrays to manage complex datasets. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to automate common tasks, enforce business rules, and deliver scripts that run reliably in production environments.