Unlike other code in the stack, database-level programs such as those built in PL/SQL, tend to have a very long half-life. In part, that's because companies are far less likely to change their database technology than user interface language. And that means that it is especially important for Oracle Database programmers to prioritizing writing maintainable, well-documented programs. It is also critical that as we make changes to our code base, we don't break programs that have been working for years. In other words, whenever possible, enhanced code should be backward compatible with earlier versions of code. That's called backward compatibility. In this post, I will explore features of PL/SQL that make it easy to ensure your latest and greatest code has maximum compatibility with "the past." If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? You've heard that before, right? Well, how about this one: If you write a prog...
For the last twenty years, I have managed to transform an obsession with PL/SQL into a paying job. How cool is that?