Part I of this book introduces PL/SQL and presents the basics of how to program in Oracle-based applications.

• Chapter 1, Introduction to PL/SQL , introduces PL/SQL and explains where it came from. It describes the various PL/SQL versions and environments you might be using and the differences among the implementations of PL/SQL. It also presents some basic PL/SQL programming principles.

• Chapter 2, PL/SQL Language Fundamentals , introduces the PL/SQL character set, identifiers, literals, and other basic elements of the language.

• Chapter 3, Effective Coding Style , presents guidelines for coding style and discusses how the decisions you make about the formatting of your programs can determine how readable and useful those programs can be.