In pl/sql if you want perform some actions more than one records you should user these cursors only. bye using these cursors you process the query records. you can easily move the records and you can exit from procedure when you required by using cursor attributes.
disadvantage:
using implicit/explicit cursors are depended by sutiation. if the result set is les than 50 or 100 records it is better to go for implicit cursors. if the result set is large then you should use exlicit cursors. other wise it will put burdon on cpu.
gouthami kodangal
Aug 13th, 2006
There is no diff .Any one can be used while creaing a procedure.
I think your implict and explict cursor concent needs a correction:
EXPLICIT CURSORS are used, when you are getting more than a single row of data that needs to be processed further.Explicit cursor requires the cursor to be declared, opened, fetched and then closed.
IMPLICIT CURSORS are used primarily when returning a single row of data.
With Implicit cursors, the declaration, open, fetch and close functions are done automatically.
Whenever we execute DML statements oracle assigns a work area called private sql area to store information. Cursors meachanism allows us to name that private sql area there by access information stored it.
The main disadvantage of cursors is that it process records sequentially. It increases number of context switches between sql and pl/sql. It hampers the performance. We may overcome this problem by using collections.
State the advatage and disadvantage of Cursor's