When do I need to use a semicolon vs a slash in Oracle SQL?

Question

We have been having some debate this week at my company as to how we should write our SQL scripts.

Background: Our database is Oracle 10g (upgrading to 11 soon).

Answer 1

I wanted to clarify some more use between the ; and the /

In SQLPLUS:

1. ; means "terminate the current statement, execute it and store it to the SQLPLUS buffer"
2. after a D.M.L. (SELECT, UPDATE, INSERT,...) statement or some types of D.D.L (Creating Tables and Views) statements (that contain no ;), it means, store the statement to the buffer but do not run it.
3. / after entering a statement into the buffer (with a blank ) means "run the D.M.L. or D.D.L. or PL/SQL in the buffer.
4. RUN or R is a sqlsplus command to show/output the SQL in the buffer and run it. It will not terminate a SQL Statement.
5. / during the entering of a D.M.L. or D.D.L. or PL/SQL means "terminate the current statement, execute it and store it to the SQLPLUS buffer"

NOTE: Because ; are used for PL/SQL to end a statement ; cannot be used by SQLPLUS to mean "terminate the current statement, execute it and store it to the SQLPLUS buffer" because we want the whole PL/SQL block to be completely in the buffer, then execute it. PL/SQL blocks must end with:

END;
/