Book Review – Murach’s Oracle SQL and PL/SQL for Developers

Murach’s Oracle SQL and PL/SQL for Developers is the latest book from the famous house of Murach Publishing based in California, USA. The book consist of five section divided into several chapters and two appendixes.

Section 1 provides a basic introduction to relational databases in addition to the use of various Oracle SQL Developer tools. You will learn the steps required to start and stop the database service, usage of SQL*Plus, creation of a database connection, usage of SQL Developer, SQL Reference manual, working of snippets window.

Section 2 of Murach’s Oracle SQL and PL/SQL for Developers examines the steps required to retrieve data from both single and multiple tables, code summary queries and sub queries. You will also learn the steps required to insert, update and delete data in addition to use of data types and functions.

Murach's Oracle SQL and PLSQL for Developers

In Page 216, the author has examines the steps required to commit and rollback changes. If you would like to delete rows and make use of a subquery in a DELETE statement you should navigate to Page 228.

The chapters in section 3 provide coverage of database design, creation of tables, indexes and sequences and views. The final chapter of this section examines the management of database security.

In page 388 of Murach’s Oracle SQL and PL/SQL for Developers, the author examines the steps required to grant privileges with the help of SQL statements and description. You will also learn about revoking of privileges.

With the help of the chapters in section 4, you will learn the required steps to write PL/SQL code, manage transactions and locking including creation of stored procedures, functions and triggers.

Section 5 provides a detailed coverage of the use of timestamps, intervals and large objects. In page 542, you will learn the working of timestamps. The author has provided commonly used format elements for timestamps in page 551. Oracle Database 9i introduces INTERVAL types and page 556 discusses this type in tabular format.

If you would like to make use of functions to work with intervals you should turn to page 562. The author discusses LOB types in page 566 in addition to coverage of CLOB, NLOB, BLOB and BFILE in subsequent pages.

Each section includes a comprehensive coverage of each concept in each page. The content is followed by source code and description is bulleted format. The author has provided explanation in tabular format wherever required.

Murach’s Oracle SQL and PL/SQL for Developers includes two appendixes which examine the installation of the required Oracle software, Oracle SQL Developer, SQL documentation, PL/SQL documentation in addition to the source files included with the file. You will be able to able to download the software from Murach website.

Appendix B helps you to install the personal edition of Oracle database, creation and restoration of tables and users. The author also examines the steps required to start and stop database services.

Murach Publishing has provided a list of required software and the steps needed to work with the source code on the final page. However, they have provided a list of all books in addition to ordering information above this page. From my point of view, the ordering page should be located in the end of the book.

You can download two chapters absolutely free of cost and also download source files from the official Murach website.

Murach also provides training materials for instructors which include instructional objectives, test banks, PowerPoint slides for classroom presentations and additional chapter exercises along with their solutions.

Murach’s Oracle SQL and PL/SQL for Developers is an excellent book for both upcoming and experienced developers.

Buy Murach’s Oracle SQL and PL/SQL for Developers

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