Why This Book?
Despite the fact that a growing number of alternative languages are out there, PL/SQL keeps rolling along, increasing in popularity. With every new installation of Oracle, the number of potential first-time programmers grows. This book aims to be the "best of breed" book available for new PL/SQL programmers.
The point of this book is to get you started, not to make you an expert. By the end of the book, though, you will have seen all of the significant features of the language in action, and be competent to write programs that perform useful tasks. For example, you will see:
All of the basic components of the language, and how to assemble them into larger, reusable units called "packages"
How to use "PL/SQL Server Pages" (PSP) with Oracle's web gateway to create web-based applications
Various techniques for organizing and testing your PL/SQL programs
...and many more useful and (I hope) interesting nuggets of wisdom.
Some observers, citing Oracle's interest in and support of Java, might argue that Java is a better choice for a new programmer who wants to write applications for the Oracle server; however, PL/SQL keeps sprouting useful new features. This reflects a continued investment on the part of Oracle Corporation, the inventor and maintainer of PL/SQL. Both languages are likely to thrive in a more-or-less complementary fashion for many years to come. For the many folks who want to come up to speed in PL/SQL, this book is uniquely tailored to your needs.
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