Oracle PL/SQL Best Practices

Other Resources

This book is intended to complement numerous other resources for PL/SQL developers. It is, to my knowledge, the first collection of best practices specifically for the Oracle PL/SQL language. On the other hand, it doesn’t stand on its own as a comprehensive resource, either for PL/SQL, in particular, or for Oracle application development, in general.

What follows is by no means an exhaustive list of resources for developers. However, I find that a 15-page bibliography is more intimidating than it is helpful. So I offer this short list of the resources that I have recently found most useful and interesting:

Code Complete by Steven McConnell (Microsoft Press)

A classic text, this “practical handbook of software criticism” should be on the bookshelf of every developer or at least in your team’s library. Chock-full of practical advice for constructing code, it shows examples in many languages, including Ada, which is enough like PL/SQL to make learning from McConnell a breeze. Don’t start coding without it! The web site for Steven McConnell’s consulting practice, http://www.construx.com, is also packed with lots of good advice.

Refactoring by Martin Fowler (Addison Wesley)

According to this book, “refactoring is the process of changing a software system in such a way that it doesn’t alter the external of the code, yet improves its internal structure.” Sound great, or what? This excellent book uses Java as its example language, but the writing is clear and the Java straightforward. There is much to apply here to PL/SQL programming.

Extreme Programming Explained, by Kent Beck (Addison Wesley)

This book is a highly readable and concise introduction to Extreme Programming (XP), a lightweight software development methodology. Visit http://www.xprogramming.com or http://www.extremeprogramming.org for a glimpse into the world of this interesting approach to development.

And then, of course, there is my own oeuvre, the Oracle PL/SQL Series from O’Reilly & Associates, which includes:

Oracle PL/SQL Programming, with Bill Pribyl

The complete language reference for Oracle PL/SQL.

Oracle PL/SQL Programming: Guide to Oracle8i Features

A companion volume describing the Oracle8i additions to the PL/SQL language.

Oracle PL/SQL Developer’s Workbook, with Andrew Odewahn

A workbook containing problems (and accompanying solutions) that will test your knowledge of Oracle PL/SQL language features.

Oracle Built-in Packages, with Charles Dye and John Beresniewicz

A complete reference to the many built-in packages provided by Oracle Corporation.

Advanced Oracle PL/SQL Programming with Packages

A description of how to write your own PL/SQL packages, including a large number of packages you can use in your own programs.

Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference, with Bill Pribyl and Chip Dawes

A quick reference to the PL/SQL language syntax.

Oracle PL/SQL Built-ins Pocket Reference, with John Beresniewicz and Chip Dawes

A quick reference to the calls to the Oracle built-in functions and packages.