Master programming syntax, solve interactive challenges & run live code in Syntaxis Explore Arena →
menu_book Course Curriculum (PL/SQL) expand_more
Blocks & Variables
Anonymous block DECLARE section Variable assignment Constants Anchored %TYPE Anchored %ROWTYPE Nested blocks Labels NULL statement DBMS_OUTPUT
Control Flow
IF THEN IF ELSIF ELSE Simple CASE Searched CASE Basic LOOP WHILE LOOP Numeric FOR LOOP REVERSE FOR LOOP EXIT WHEN CONTINUE WHEN
SQL in PL/SQL
SELECT INTO DML and SQL%ROWCOUNT RETURNING INTO Implicit cursor attributes Cursor declaration Cursor FOR LOOP Parameterized cursor Cursor records FOR UPDATE cursor WHERE CURRENT OF
Exceptions
Predefined exception User-defined exception RAISE RAISE_APPLICATION_ERROR WHEN OTHERS SQLCODE and SQLERRM Exception propagation PRAGMA EXCEPTION_INIT Nested exception handler Reraising exception
Procedures & Functions
CREATE PROCEDURE IN parameter OUT parameter IN OUT parameter CREATE FUNCTION RETURN statement Default parameters Named notation Local subprogram Overloading
Packages
Package specification Package body Public procedure Private procedure Package variable Package initialization Package constant Package cursor Package overloading Forward declaration
Collections & Records
RECORD type Associative array Nested table VARRAY FIRST and LAST NEXT and PRIOR COUNT collection EXTEND DELETE collection element BULK COLLECT
Advanced PL/SQL
FORALL Dynamic SQL EXECUTE IMMEDIATE Dynamic SQL USING REF CURSOR Pipelined function Deterministic function Autonomous transaction Compound trigger Invoker rights AUTHID Native compilation hint
PL/SQL / Collections & Records

NEXT and PRIOR

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

10 min read • Advanced

NEXT and PRIOR is an atomic PL/SQL topic inside Collections & Records. This lesson focuses on how the NEXT and PRIOR construct is written, what it changes, and when it is the right tool.

Trace the example line by line. Identify the exact syntax for NEXT and PRIOR, 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-07-06-next-and-prior.sql
plsql Try It Live 
DECLARE TYPE t IS TABLE OF VARCHAR2(10) INDEX BY PLS_INTEGER; a t; k PLS_INTEGER; BEGIN a(2):='a'; a(7):='b'; k:=a.FIRST; DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(a.NEXT(k)); END; /
Edge case / engineering note

For NEXT and PRIOR, 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

NEXT and PRIOR Mastery Check →
← PREVIOUS
FIRST and LAST
NEXT →
COUNT collection