SQL Developer is a free tool by Oracle to develop and manage Oracle Database. You can connect to the database, write queries, and procedures, and even administer the database from this single tool. You can use it as an IDE for PL/SQL Development, although SQL* Plus is enough and capable. It makes sense to use IDEs like to speed development.
Features at a Glance:
- User-Centric Design: a modern and intuitive user interface, streamlined to enhance your productivity.
- Multifunctional Workspace: From basic SQL queries to advanced PL/SQL debugging, it’s all in there.
- Extensibility: If you ever feel limited, there’s a wide array of plugins and extensions available. You can customize the tool to your needs, ensuring you always stay ahead of the curve.
Oracle first ventured into database tools long before introducing Oracle SQL Developer in the mid-2000s. They recognized the need for a unified platform and developed Oracle SQL Developer to combine various tool functionalities. Over the years, Oracle continuously refined and added new features, ensuring it met user demands and often setting industry standards. Today, professionals widely prefer Oracle SQL Developer for its robust capabilities and Oracle’s commitment to proactive innovation.
Installing SQL Developer
SQL Developer is a free tool and is available to download from the Oracle Site. It is cross-platform and available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Visit the SQL Developer download page.
For Windows, you have,
- Windows 64-bit with JDK 8 included – This download has JDK embedded.
- Windows 32-bit/64-bit – This download does not have JDK. So you need to install the latest JDK separately.
Choose the JDK embedded to avoid any JDK issues.
There is no need to install anything. Extract the content of the zip file in the folder and launch SQLDeleloper.exe. This starts the SQL Developer and is ready to use. You can read the below article for step-by-step instructions.
Launch SQL Developer. Go to the Connections pane, and click New Database Connection.
Enter the following information:
Click the Test button to test the connection. If successful, click Save or Connect to establish the relationship. If the test fails, review your connection settings and try again. This opens a SQL Worksheet where you can write SQL Queries.
Summary
Oracle SQL Developer is a one-in-all tool to work with Oracle Database. You can also use it as an IDE for PL/SQL Development and learning.
