Oracle PL/SQL is a powerful programming language that is used to develop robust applications for the Oracle database. One of the most important data types in PL/SQL is the INTEGER data type. In this article, we will discuss the INTEGER data type in detail.
In PL/SQL, the INTEGER data type is used to represent integer values, which are whole numbers without any decimal points. The INTEGER data type is a signed data type, which means it can represent both positive and negative numbers. The range of values that can be stored in an INTEGER data type depends on the number of bits used to represent it.
Syntax
The INTEGER data type can be declared using the following syntax:
DECLARE variable_name INTEGER; BEGIN -- code here END;
The variable_name is the name of the variable that will store the INTEGER value. The INTEGER data type can also be used as a parameter type for PL/SQL subprograms, such as procedures and functions.
When an INTEGER variable is declared, its initial value is set to NULL by default. If you want to assign a value to an INTEGER variable, you can do so using the following syntax:
variable_name := value;
where value is the integer value that you want to assign to the variable.
You can perform arithmetic operations on INTEGER variables, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. You can also compare INTEGER variables using comparison operators such as <, >, <=, >=, =, and <>.
It’s important to note that the INTEGER data type in PL/SQL is different from the NUMBER data type. The NUMBER data type is used to represent numbers with decimal points, while the INTEGER data type is used to represent whole numbers.
In conclusion, the INTEGER data type in Oracle PL/SQL is a powerful data type that is used to represent whole numbers. It is a signed data type that can represent both positive and negative numbers, and can be used for arithmetic operations and comparisons. It is an important data type to know for anyone who wants to work with PL/SQL.
