What are the commonly used data types in PL/SQL?

Commonly Used Data Types in PL/SQL

When working with PL/SQL, there are several commonly used data types that provide flexibility and efficiency in managing data. Some of these key data types include:

1. CHAR: This data type is used to store fixed-length character strings. It can hold up to 2000 bytes of data.
2. VARCHAR2: Similar to CHAR, VARCHAR2 is used for variable-length character strings. It is more efficient in terms of storage as it only consumes space based on the actual length of the string.
3. NUMBER: NUMBER is used to store numeric data, including integers and decimal numbers. It allows for precise numeric calculations and can store a wide range of values.
4. DATE: As the name suggests, the DATE data type is used to store date and time values in PL/SQL. It supports various date operations and calculations.
5. CLOB: CLOB, or Character Large Object, is used to store large blocks of character data, such as text documents or XML files.
6. BLOB: BLOB, or Binary Large Object, is used to store binary data, such as images or multimedia files.

By understanding and utilizing these commonly used data types effectively, developers can efficiently manage and manipulate data in their PL/SQL applications.