Mastering PL/SQL Through Illustrations: From Learning Fundamentals to Developing Efficient PL/SQL Blocks

Simple loops
WHILE loops
Numeric FOR loops
EXIT
EXIT-WHEN
CONTINUE
Illustrative PL/SQL blocks/codes using database tables
In simple loops, a set of statements enclosed between LOOP and END LOOP are executed repeatedly until a stopping condition is provided. WHILE loops execute a set of statements while a condition is TRUE and FOR loops help in executing a set of statements fixed number of times. However, when the number of iterations is not known, the WHILE loop is preferable. PL/SQL provides two kinds of FOR loops viz. Numeric For loops and CURSOR FOR loops. Cursor For loops will be discussed in the next chapter.

This is in contrast to the LOOP-END LOOP statement which is executed at least once.