8If you're developing applications that access Oracle databases, you can save time and trouble by having the database do more work for you. That's where this book comes in. It teaches you how to create effective SQL queries to retrieve and update the data in an Oracle database. It teaches you how to design and implement a database, giving you insight into performance and security issues. It teaches you how to use Oracle's procedural language, PL/SQL, to take advantage of powerful features like stored procedures, functions, and triggers. In short, it teaches you to write the kind of SQL and PL/SQL that makes you a more effective and valuable developer.