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PL/SQL / SQL in PL/SQL

Cursor FOR LOOP

Learn Cursor FOR LOOP in PL/SQL through a focused explanation, a dedicated construct-specific example, an engineering boundary, and a mastery check.

10 min read • Beginner

Cursor FOR LOOP is an atomic PL/SQL topic inside SQL in PL/SQL. This lesson focuses on how the Cursor FOR LOOP construct is written, what it changes, and when it is the right tool.

Trace the example line by line. Identify the exact syntax for Cursor FOR LOOP, the input state before it runs, and the resulting value, control flow, database state, hardware behavior, or runtime effect afterward. Neighboring lessons use different constructs rather than renamed copies of this one.

Topic-specific example

plsql-03-06-cursor-for-loop.sql
plsql Try It Live 
BEGIN FOR r IN (SELECT id,name FROM products WHERE active=1) LOOP DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(r.name); END LOOP; END; /
Edge case / engineering note

For Cursor FOR LOOP, test the boundary that belongs to this exact feature rather than a generic failure case. Check invalid or empty input, NULL/unknown state, numeric limits, transaction or exception behavior, synthesis/runtime constraints, ownership/permission rules, or backtracking/control-flow effects where they apply.

Content source & attribution
Original Syntaxis Content · Original Syntaxis Content

Lesson quizzes

Cursor FOR LOOP Mastery Check →
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Cursor declaration
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Parameterized cursor