Oracle SQL, a powerful database management tool includes a lot of features. One amongst its many capabilities is the ability to handle synonyms. These are schema objects that provide an alternative name for database objects, allowing you to create shorter or more intuitive names for complex schema object names. Synonyms can be particularly useful in large databases where object names can become lengthy and difficult to manage.
In Oracle SQL, getting a list of synonyms isn’t a complicated task, thanks to the query flexibility the language provides. In this article, we’ll go through the step by step process of how this can be achieved.
Oracle Synonyms
Synonyms in Oracle SQL are alternative names given to a table or a view. These are largely used to mask the real name and owner of an object, provide public access to an object, or provide location transparency for remote objects of a distributed database. Oracle provides a data dictionary that maintains a list of synonyms, which can be queried to get a list of synonyms.
Oracle SQL Code
SELECT OWNER,
SYNONYM_NAME,
DB_LINK,
TABLE_OWNER,
TABLE_NAME
FROM ALL_SYNONYMS;
In the above code, the ALL_SYNONYMS system view is used. This view contains all synonyms created in the database. The query returns the name and owner of the synonym, the owner and name of the actual object, and the database link if the synonym is a remote object.
Code explanation
The SELECT statement is used to select data from a database. The data returned is stored in a result table, called the result-set. In this particular case, we’re querying the database for synonyms.
OWNER is the schema of the synonym. SYNONYM_NAME is the name of the synonym in the database. DB_LINK would give the name of the database link used for a remote object, or return NULL for a synonym to a local object. TABLE_OWNER and TABLE_NAME provide the owner and name of the table for which the synonym was created.
Following the execution of this query, Oracle SQL will return a list of all synonyms in the database.
Oracle SQL and Synonyms
In Oracle SQL, synonyms serve a very important role. They are essentially alias names given to an existing table to protect the name of the original table and provide a layer of security. In a large or complex database structure, managing synonyms can become an important task. Getting the list of synonyms, understanding the underlying object they point to, and other related information becomes crucial for the database administration and performance optimization.
Oracle SQL offers a schema object called SYNONYM that makes this task easier. Its functionalities and capabilities allow users to handle and manage synonyms efficiently in the database environment.
Database administrators and developers typically need to understand the roles and functionalities of synonyms in Oracle SQL to manage the database effectively. This understanding, coupled with the ability to effectively use SQL code, can significantly optimize your Oracle database implementation.
