In this chapter, we looked at some of the lesser-known features of SQL and PL/SQL, but there are many, many more. Thorough knowledge of SQL and PL/SQL is essential to an APEX developer.

We started by examining a method to instrument your database code. This enables you to keep track of the code path and the arguments that are passed down.

Next different options were investigated to have efficient lookup tables for your application. Creating a proper physical data model by using the right types of database object where appropriate will also contribute to a successful application and a better user experience.

Analytic and aggregate functions leverage the functionality that SQL has to offer out of the box. Using these functions, you can create statements that are both elegant and perform well.

When you have programs that take a long time, and you don't want to have the user wait for the response, you can offload these programs to the background. We saw an example on using DBMS_JOB to do...