Oracle Interview Question: Difference Between Trigger and Stored Procedure

In Oracle, a trigger is a set of SQL statements that are automatically executed in response to certain events on a particular table, while a stored procedure is a named block of code that can be called by other programs or procedures.

Key Differences:

1. Execution: Triggers are automatically executed when a specified event occurs, such as an insert, update, or delete operation on a table. Stored procedures, on the other hand, need to be explicitly called by other programs or procedures.
2. Timing: Triggers are executed before or after the triggering event, while stored procedures are executed at the time they are called.
3. Scope: Triggers are associated with specific tables and events, while stored procedures are standalone units of code that can be called from multiple locations.

When to Use Each One:

Use a trigger when you need to enforce business rules, maintain data integrity, or log changes to a table automatically. Triggers are useful for automating specific actions based on database events.

Use a stored procedure when you need to encapsulate complex business logic that can be reused in multiple places within your database. Stored procedures are suitable for tasks that involve multiple SQL statements and need to be called from various parts of your application.

Ultimately, the choice between using a trigger and a stored procedure in Oracle depends on the specific requirements of your database design and application functionality.