Constraints

Oracle constraints are rules defined on columns or sets

of columns in a table to enforce data integrity and
ensure that the data stored in the database satisfies
certain conditions. Constraints help maintain the
accuracy, consistency, and reliability of the data. Here
are some common types of constraints in Oracle along
with examples:

NOT NULL Constraint:

Ensures that a column cannot contain a null value.

Example:
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CREATE TABLE employees (
employee_id NUMBER PRIMARY KEY,
first_name VARCHAR2(50) NOT NULL,
last_name VARCHAR2(50) NOT NULL,
email VARCHAR2(100) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
hire_date DATE NOT NULL
);
UNIQUE Constraint:

Ensures that all values in a column are unique.

Example:
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CREATE TABLE products (
product_id NUMBER PRIMARY KEY,
product_name VARCHAR2(100) UNIQUE,
price NUMBER,
quantity NUMBER
);
PRIMARY KEY Constraint:

Enforces uniqueness and identifies each record

uniquely in a table.
Example:
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CREATE TABLE departments (
department_id NUMBER PRIMARY KEY,
department_name VARCHAR2(100),
location_id NUMBER
);
FOREIGN KEY Constraint:

Maintains referential integrity by enforcing a link

between the data in two tables.
Example:
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CREATE TABLE employees (
employee_id NUMBER PRIMARY KEY,
 first_name VARCHAR2(50),
last_name VARCHAR2(50),
department_id NUMBER,
FOREIGN KEY (department_id) REFERENCES
departments(department_id)
);
CHECK Constraint:

Ensures that all values in a column satisfy a specific

condition.
Example:
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CREATE TABLE orders (
order_id NUMBER PRIMARY KEY,
order_date DATE,
order_amount NUMBER,
status VARCHAR2(20),
CHECK (status IN ('Pending', 'Processing',
'Completed', 'Cancelled'))
);
These constraints help in maintaining data integrity
and consistency within the Oracle database by
preventing the insertion of invalid or inconsistent data.