What is the difference between function and procedure in PL/SQL?

Question

What is the difference between function and procedure in PL/SQL ?

Answer 1

In dead simple way it makes this meaning.

Functions :

These subprograms return a single value; mainly used to compute and return a value.

Procedure :

These subprograms do not return a value directly; mainly used to perform an action.

Example Program:

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE greetings

BEGIN 

dbms_output.put_line('Hello World!');

END ;
/

Executing a Standalone Procedure :

A standalone procedure can be called in two ways:

• Using the EXECUTE keyword • Calling the name of procedure from a PL/SQL block

The procedure can also be called from another PL/SQL block:

BEGIN 
greetings;
END;
/

Function:

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION totalEmployees 
RETURN number IS
total number(3) := 0;
BEGIN 
SELECT count(*) into total 
FROM employees;
RETURN total; 
END;
/

Following program calls the function totalCustomers from an another block

DECLARE 
c number(3);
BEGIN 
c := totalEmployees();
dbms_output.put_line('Total no. of Employees: ' || c);
END;
/