Introduction to Store Procedure in PL/SQL

In PL/SQL (Procedural Language/Structured Query Language), a procedure is a named PL/SQL block that performs a specific task or a set of tasks. It is a subprogram that can be called by its name to execute the code contained within it. Procedures are designed to perform actions, modify data, or achieve specific functionality within the database.

A procedure can have zero or more parameters that act as placeholders for values passed to the procedure when it is called. These parameters allow the procedure to accept inputs and process them accordingly. Unlike functions, procedures do not have a return type, meaning they do not return any value.

Here's the basic syntax to create a PL/SQL procedure:

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE procedure_name (parameter1 datatype1, parameter2 datatype2, ...) IS

BEGIN

    -- PL/SQL statements

    -- Perform actions or tasks here

    -- Use parameters to process data

    -- (Optional) Use RETURN statement to exit the procedure prematurely if needed

    -- RETURN;

EXCEPTION

    -- Exception handling (optional)

    -- Handle exceptions if they occur during the procedure's execution

END;

/

To execute a procedure, you can simply call it by its name with the appropriate arguments if it has any parameters. 

Here's an example of calling a procedure:

BEGIN

    -- Call the procedure with arguments (if required)

    procedure_name(parameter1_value, parameter2_value, ...);

END;

/

Procedures are useful for encapsulating a series of operations, promoting code reusability, and enhancing the organization and maintainability of PL/SQL code. They are widely used to perform tasks such as data manipulation, data validation, business logic implementation, and more within the Oracle database environment.