What is the Difference Between Explicit Cursor and Implicit Cursor?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between explicit and implicit cursors lies in their creation, control, and efficiency. Here are the key differences between the two:
- Creation: Implicit cursors are automatically created when SELECT statements are executed, while explicit cursors need to be defined explicitly by the user by providing a name.
- Control: Explicit cursors provide more programmatic control to the users, allowing them to decide when to open the cursor, fetch records, and close the cursor. In contrast, implicit cursors are simpler to code and are created automatically by the database system, but they offer less control over the cursor's operations.
- Efficiency: Implicit cursors are generally more efficient than explicit cursors in terms of performance. However, explicit cursors can fetch multiple rows, while implicit cursors can only fetch a single row at a time.
- Memory Usage: Implicit cursors require anonymous buffer memory for storage, while explicit cursors use user-defined memory space for storage.
- Error Handling: Explicit cursors are less vulnerable to errors, such as data errors, compared to implicit cursors.
- Closing: Implicit cursors close automatically after execution, while explicit cursors need to be closed after execution.
In summary, implicit cursors offer simplicity and efficiency, while explicit cursors provide more control over the cursor's operations. Developers should choose between implicit and explicit cursors based on their specific requirements and context.
Comparative Table: Explicit Cursor vs Implicit Cursor
The main difference between explicit and implicit cursors lies in their creation and usage. Here is a comparison table highlighting the differences between the two:
| Feature | Implicit Cursors | Explicit Cursors |
|---|---|---|
| Creation | Automatically created when SELECT statements are executed. | Defined explicitly by the user with a DECLARE statement. |
| Row Fetching | Capable of fetching a single row at a time. | Can fetch multiple rows. |
| Memory Usage | Requires anonymous buffer memory for storage. | Uses user-defined memory space for storage. |
| Closure | Automatically closed after execution. | Need to close after execution. |
| Efficiency | Less efficient compared to explicit cursors. | More efficient compared to implicit cursors. |
| Errors | More vulnerable to errors such as data errors. | Less vulnerable to errors (data errors, etc.). |
| Programmatic Control | Provides less programmatic control to the users. | Provides more programmatic control to the users. |
In summary, implicit cursors are automatically created and are more suitable for simple single-row operations, while explicit cursors require explicit definition and offer more control over cursor behavior, making them suitable for more complex multi-row operations.
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