This book teaches you all of the core concepts behind using the database, shows you the tools and techniques you need to master, and gives you practical examples of programming Oracle. This book is aimed at would-be Oracle developers and administrators alike. No matter what your background might be, this book takes a simple approach to teaching you Oracle technology. By the time you have completed this book, you will have all the knowledge you need to use Oracle databases with confidence. Oracle is the world's leading relational database. It provides a rich environment to store, handle, and extract data and, when used properly, is the fastest and most scaleable database on which to build enterprise scale applications. However, with power comes complexity and mastering the Oracle database is not an overnight job. It takes time, practice, and a lot of real world experience. The authors of this book have that experience. They understand the challenges that are going to be met when developing an application or administering the database and can guarantee you that the techniques taught in this book are proven and have led them through many successful implementations.