Oracle Commands:
DDL- Data Definition Language
DML-Data Manipulation Language
DCL-Data Control Language
DDL:
CREATE
ALTER
DROP
TRUNCATE
CREATE:
The create table command defines each column of the table uniquely. Each column has
minimum of three attributes.
Name
Data type
o Char-Fixed length datatype ,it accepts only char
o Varchar()-
It is variable length character of data . it will occupy space for NULL values.It can store up
to 2000 bytes of characters. Varchar stores alphanumeric values without padding the
unused memory locations.
o Varchar2()- can store up to 4000 bytes of characters. it will not occupy any space .
Varchar2 is also used to store alphanumeric values with padding the unused memory
locations by using varchar2 we are saving the memory locations.
Size(column width).
Each table column definition is a single clause in the create table syntax. Each table
column definition is separated from the other by a comma. Finally, the statement is terminated
with a semicolon.
Examples:
CREATE TABLE Student
(Reg_no varchar2(10),
Name char(30),
DOB date,
Address varchar2(50));
The DROP Command
Syntax:
DROP TABLE <table_name>
Example:
DROP TABLE Student;
It will destroy the table and all data which will be recorded in it.
The TRUNCATE Command
Syntax:
TRUNCATE TABLE <Table_name>
Example:
TRUNCATE TABLE Student;
The RENAME Command
Syntax:
RENAME <OldTableName> TO <NewTableName>
Example:
RENAME <Student> TO <Stu>
The old name table was Student now new name is the Stu.
The ALTER Table Command
By The use of ALTER TABLE Command we can modify our exiting table.
Adding New Columns
Syntax:
ALTER TABLE <table_name>
ADD (<Column_Name> <Data_Type>(<size>),......n)
Example:
ALTER TABLE Student ADD (Age number(2), Marks number(3));
The Student table is already exist and then we added two more columns Age and Marks
respectively, by the use of above command.
Dropping a Column from the Table
Syntax:
ALTER TABLE <table_name> DROP COLUMN <column_name>
Example:
ALTER TABLE Student DROP COLUMN Age;
This command will drop particular column
Modifying Existing Table
Syntax:
ALTER TABLE <table_name> MODIFY (<column_name>
<NewDataType>(<NewSize>))
Example:
ALTER TABLE Student MODIFY (Name Varchar2(40));
The Name column already exist in Student table, it was char and size 30, now it is modified by
Varchar2 and size 40.
Restriction on the ALTER TABLE
Using the ALTER TABLE clause the following tasks cannot be performed.
Change the name of the table
Change the name of the column
Decrease the size of a column if table data exists
