PL/SQL Developer Category Interview Question: Difference between a Cursor and a Ref Cursor

In PL/SQL, there are two types of cursors - a regular cursor and a ref cursor. The main difference between the two is how they are declared and used.

Regular Cursor:

A regular cursor in PL/SQL is a named private SQL area from where information can be retrieved. It allows you to fetch multiple rows of data from a result set one by one. Cursors in PL/SQL are static and forward-only.

Ref Cursor:

A ref cursor, short for reference cursor, is a pointer to a cursor. It is dynamically defined based on a SQL query or a cursor variable. Ref cursors can be returned as parameters from stored procedures, making them more flexible than regular cursors.

Main Differences:

• Regular cursors are declared explicitly with the CURSOR keyword, while ref cursors are defined using the TYPE statement.
• Ref cursors can be shared between multiple programs, while regular cursors are local to a specific block or program unit.
• Ref cursors are more versatile as they can be returned as output parameters, allowing them to be used outside the procedure that created them.

In summary, regular cursors are static, local, and need to be explicitly defined, while ref cursors are dynamic, versatile, and can be shared and used outside the scope of the creating program.