Preamble
Oracle PL/SQL Functions
| Function | Description |
| BFILENAME | The Oracle/PLSQL function returns the BFILENAME locator corresponding to the operating system’s physical filename file name. |
| CARDINALITY | Oracle/PLSQL function CARDINALITY returns the number of elements in the nested table. |
| COALESCE | Oracle/PLSQL function COALESCE returns the first non-zero expression from the list. If all expressions are defined as Null, the COALESCE function will return Null. |
| DECODE | Oracle/PLSQL function DECODE has functionality of IF-THEN-ELSE operator. |
| EMPTY_BLOB | Oracle/PLSQL function EMPTY_BLOB can be used to initialize empty LOB columns in INSERT or UPDATE operators or it can be used to initialize LOB variable. |
| EMPTY_CLOB | Oracle/PLSQL function EMPTY_CLOB can be used to initialize empty LOB columns in INSERT or UPDATE operators or it can be used to initialize LOB variable. |
| GROUP_ID | Oracle/PLSQL function GROUP_ID assigns a number to each group as a result of GROUP BY operator. GROUP_ID function is most often used to identify duplicate groups in query results. |
| LNNVL | Oracle/PLSQL function LNNVL is used in the WHERE SQL query sentence to evaluate the state when one of the operands may contain the value NULL. |
| NANVL | The Oracle/PLSQL function NANVL allows you to replace a value for a floating point number such as BINARY_FLOAT or BINARY_DOUBLE when Nan (Not a number) is encountered. This is most often used to convert the value Nan (Not a number) to NULL or 0. |
| NULLIF | Oracle/PLSQL function NULLIF compares expr1 and expr2. If expr1 and expr2 are equal, the function NULLIF returns NULL. Otherwise, it returns expr1. |
| NVL | Oracle/PLSQL function NVL allows you to replace the value when there is a Null value. |
| NVL2 | Oracle/PLSQL function NVL2 extends the functionality of the NVL function. It replaces the value when a Null value is encountered and also when a non-Null value is encountered. |
| SQLCODE | The SQLCODE function returns the error number associated with an exceptional situation. This function can only be used in the exception handling section of your code. |
| SQLERRM | The SQLERRM function returns an error message related to an exceptional situation. This function can only be used in the exception handling section of your code. |
| SYS_CONTEXT | Oracle/PLSQL function SYS_CONTEXT is used to get information about the state of Oracle environment. |
| UID | Oracle/PLSQL function UID returns an integer number identifying the current database user. |
| USER | Oracle/PLSQL function USER returns user_id from the current Oracle session. |
| USERENV | Oracle/PLSQL function USERENV is used to get information about the current Oracle session. Although this function still exists in Oracle for backward compatibility, it is recommended to use the sys_context function instead. |
About Enteros
Enteros offers a patented database performance management SaaS platform. It proactively identifies root causes of complex business-impacting database scalability and performance issues across a growing number of clouds, RDBMS, NoSQL, and machine learning database platforms.
The views expressed on this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Enteros Inc. This blog may contain links to the content of third-party sites. By providing such links, Enteros Inc. does not adopt, guarantee, approve, or endorse the information, views, or products available on such sites.
Are you interested in writing for Enteros’ Blog? Please send us a pitch!
RELATED POSTS
Driving Enterprise Efficiency Through AI-Based Database Performance Optimization
- 12 June 2026
- Database Performance Management
Introduction In today’s digital-first economy, enterprises depend heavily on data-driven applications to power everything from customer transactions to real-time analytics and AI workloads. As these systems scale, database performance becomes a critical determinant of business success. Even minor inefficiencies—slow queries, resource contention, or poor scaling strategies—can lead to significant revenue loss, degraded user experience, and … Continue reading “Driving Enterprise Efficiency Through AI-Based Database Performance Optimization”
How Predictive Database Monitoring Improves Application Uptime and Business Continuity
In today’s always-on digital economy, application availability is no longer just an IT metric—it is a business imperative. Customers expect seamless digital experiences, employees depend on uninterrupted access to critical systems, and organizations rely on applications to drive revenue, operations, and customer engagement. Whether supporting e-commerce transactions, financial services, healthcare applications, SaaS platforms, or telecommunications … Continue reading “How Predictive Database Monitoring Improves Application Uptime and Business Continuity”
Preventing Database Bottlenecks with Intelligent Workload Analytics and Automation
- 11 June 2026
- Database Performance Management
In today’s digital economy, application performance directly impacts customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and business growth. Organizations rely on databases to power customer-facing applications, financial transactions, e-commerce platforms, analytics systems, SaaS solutions, and countless other mission-critical services. As enterprises continue to embrace cloud-native architectures, microservices, multi-cloud deployments, and real-time data processing, database workloads have become increasingly … Continue reading “Preventing Database Bottlenecks with Intelligent Workload Analytics and Automation”
The Future of AI-Powered Database Performance Management in Enterprise IT Operations
Enterprise IT operations are undergoing a significant transformation. As organizations accelerate digital transformation initiatives, adopt cloud-native architectures, expand multi-cloud deployments, and implement AI-driven business strategies, the complexity of managing database environments continues to grow. Databases have evolved from simple data repositories into mission-critical components that power applications, analytics platforms, customer experiences, and business operations. Modern … Continue reading “The Future of AI-Powered Database Performance Management in Enterprise IT Operations”