SQL Data Types

What Are Datatypes? Tables are the storage vehicles within a relational database. The columns of the table define the characteristics of the data as well as giving the data a name.

The characteristics of the column, as well as variable and constants, are made up of datatype and length. This datatype is a static set of properties with a predefined value. These proprieties cause the Oracle server to treat one datatype differently from the another datatype.

Oracle recognizes internal and external datatypes. An internal datatype is one that describes columns of tables, clusters, and procedure arguments. The Oracle precompilers recognize other datatypes that are in embedded SQL programs. These datatypes are called external datatypes and are associated with host variables.

Why Use Datatypes ?

Using datatypes within the relational database gives you the following benefits
They restrict the range of values that data items can contain. For example, a datatype of date cannot take on a value of JIM.
They enable you to conserve storage space by tailoring the datatype to the data being stored.
They enable data conversion automatically under certain conditions.

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