What is the difference between functions, procedures, and packages in PL/SQL?

Data Science, AI and ML
#1
  • Function: The main purpose of a PL/SQL function is to compute and return a single value. A function has a return type in its specification and must return a value specified in that type.
  • Procedure: A procedure does not have a return type and should not return any value, but it can have a return statement that simply stops its execution and returns to the caller. A procedure is used to return multiple values; otherwise, it is generally similar to a function.
  • Package: A package is a schema object which groups logically related PL/SQL types, items, and subprograms. You can also say that it is a group of functions, procedures, variables, and a record TYPE statements. It provides modularity, due to which it aids application development. It is used to hide information from unauthorized users.