Version 4.4

https://trivadis.github.io/plsql-and-sql-coding-guidelines/v4.4/
PLSQL-and-SQL-Coding-Guidelines.pdf

Items marked with a 👮 require a change in the Linter tool suite db* CODECOP (besides including the changed guideline texts).

New

• #210 Highlight the lines that violate a guideline in the bad examples (and the fixed lines in the good examples)
• #212 New guideline G-3330: Avoid autonomous transactions. 👮
• #213 New guideline G-4387: Never use a FOR LOOP for a query that should return not more than one row.

Changed

• #208 Include column alias in the title of G-3182
  • old: G-3182: Always specify column names instead of positional references in GROUP BY clauses.
  • new: G-3182: Always specify column names/aliases instead of positional references in GROUP BY clauses.

Fixed

• #205 Fix revision history in about page

Version 4.3

https://trivadis.github.io/plsql-and-sql-coding-guidelines/v4.3/
PLSQL-and-SQL-Coding-Guidelines.pdf

Items marked with a 👮 require a change in the Linter tool suite db* CODECOP (besides including the changed guideline texts).

New

• #124 Mention "PL/SQL & SQL Formatter Settings" in the "Tool Support" chapter
• #169 Automatically check Markdown files with SonarCloud
  • all SQL text blocks should follow these guidelines
  • as a side effect syntax errors in SQL text blocks were detected and fixed
  • due to the bad examples in the guidelines, it's expected that the project on SonarCloud will not meet the quality gate goals
• #197 New rule G-3182: Always specify column names instead of positional references in GROUP BY clauses. 👮
• #202 New rule G-3183: Always specify column aliases instead of expressions in GROUP BY clauses. 👮

Changed / Improved

• #159 Use create or replace in G-9010/G-9020/G-9030 to avoid violation of G-7125
• #160 Avoid violation of G-2340 in G-2330
• #161 Do not violate G-7160 in G-5080
• #162 Do not violate G-4320 in G-3310/G-3320
• #163 Do not violate G-1020 in the bad example of G-4325
• #164 Do not violate G-2135 in the good and bad example of G-2120/G-2130
• #165 Do not violate G-2135 in the good and bad example of G-2145
• #166 Do not violate G-7510 in the good example of G-5080
• #167 Do not use the keyword upsert in the good and bad example of G-7160
• #171 Do not violate naming conventions in the good and bad example of G-2610
• #172 Do not violate naming conventions in the good example of G-5030
• #173 Do not violate naming conventions in the good example of G-5070
• #174 Do not violate naming conventions in the good example of G-3320
• #175 Fix issues reported by SonarCloud regarding HTML and CSS
• #176 Do not violate G-7510 in chapter of complexity analysis
• #180 Make G-1050 less strict by using a threshold parameter 👮
• #182 Make G-8310 less strict by limiting the scope of data types 👮
• #200 Fix categorization of guideline severities 👮
• #205 Use 3 identical literals in the bad example of G-1050
• #206 Simplify G-1050 and related examples

Fixed

• #168 Syntax error in example of docs/3-coding-style/coding-style.md
• #179 Eliminate violations of G-1050
• #181 Eliminate violations of G-8310
• #203 The tools do not work from a Windows host with git-bash (PR by @zrh535)

Version 4.2

https://trivadis.github.io/plsql-and-sql-coding-guidelines/v4.2/
PLSQL-and-SQL-Coding-Guidelines.pdf

Changed / Improved

• #126 Write Oracle Database instead of Oracle
• #127 Update Docker image mktools (mkdocs-1.3.1, mkdocs-material-8.3.9, mike-1.1.2)
• #127 Provide Docker image trivadis/mktools:4.0 for linux/amd64 and linux/arm64
• #128 Format the good example in G-1060 as the bad one
• #129 Format the good example in G-3110
• #130 Ensure the SQL code block is valid
• #131 Format the examples in G-7710 and G-7720
• #132 Replace PL/SQL Cop with db* CODECOP
• #134 Do not violate rule G-4320 in examples of G-3145
• #137 Do not violate rule G-7125 in examples of G-9040
• #155 HTML site behaves like a single page application (try n and p keys)
• #155 Show version selector after page title (instead of plain version number)
• #157 Update MathJax library to version 3

Fixed

• #125 Invalid code in examples of G-7910
• #133 Escaping of star in G-3145 is visible
• #135 Missing INTO clause in SELECT statements of G-8310
• #136 Invalid Index indx used in good example of G-3220
• #139 Icon for severity of rules lost in PDF
• #140 Missing guideline version in title (during v4.2 development)
• #157 arithmatex symbols not shown when using navigation.instant (during v4.2 development)

Version 4.1

https://trivadis.github.io/plsql-and-sql-coding-guidelines/v4.1/
PLSQL-and-SQL-Coding-Guidelines.pdf

New

• #120 - Added new rule G-7910: Never use DML within a SQL macro.
• #23 - Added new rule G-3220: Always process saved exceptions from a FORALL statement.
• #49 - Added new rule G-4365: Never use unconditional CONTINUE or EXIT in a loop.
• #46 - Added new rule G-3145: Avoid using SELECT * directly from a table or view.
• #100 - Added new rule G-9040: Try using FX in string to date/time conversion format model to avoid fuzzy conversion.
• #111 - Formatted all examples according to coding style in our guidelines.
• #111 - Added automatic formatting of examples using git hook.

Changed

• #8 / #9 - Restructured Tool Support section with individual chapters on 4 db*CODECOP tools as well as plscope-util.
• #103 - Unique subchapters per rule and consistent order.
• #117 - Consistent handling of the Oracle database version.
• #122 - Consistent case of the word Oracle.
• #114 - G-7730: Clarify scope.
• #105 - G-4220 violates rule G-1050 in bad and good example.
• #91 - G-7730 valid in all cases or only if PK is assigned.
• #109 - Update images, logos, favicon, etc. due to acquisition of Trivadis by Accenture leading to updated corporate design.

Fixed

• #106 - Appendix B: Old ID 68 -> New ID 7160.
• #104 - Bad example in G-4210 violates rule G-2130 in line 2.
• #116 - G-9020/G-9030: syntax error in good and bad example.
• #115 - G-9010: syntax error in good and bad example.
• #113 - G-7330: Wrong procedure label in bad and good examples.
• #112 - G-7810: Fix typo in SQL.
• #102 - G-2230: Add deterministic keyword to avoid violating G-7460.
• Fixed typos in G-7310 and G-7410.

Version 4.0

https://trivadis.github.io/plsql-and-sql-coding-guidelines/v4.0/
PLSQL-and-SQL-Coding-Guidelines.pdf

Breaking Changes

• #57 - Changed Code Style Rule 1 from “Keywords are written uppercase, names are written in lowercase“ to "Keywords and names are written in lowercase”
  • added reason for this change
  • updated all code examples
• #81 - Removed G-7240 (Avoid using an IN OUT parameter as IN or OUT only) and replaced it with these rules:
  • G-7160: Always explicitly state parameter mode.
  • G-7170: Avoid using an IN OUT parameter as IN or OUT only.

New

• #28 - G-1080: Avoid using the same expression on both sides of a relational comparison operator or a logical operator.
• #48 - G-2135: Avoid assigning values to local variables that are not used by a subsequent statement.
• #34 - G-2145: Never self-assign a variable.
• #54 - G-2610: Never use self-defined weak ref cursor types.
• #34 - G-3115: Avoid self-assigning a column.
• #26 - G-3185: Never use ROWNUM at the same query level as ORDER BY.
• #38 - G-3195: Always use wildcards in a LIKE clause.
• #22 - G-3310: Never commit within a cursor loop.
• #22 - G-3320: Try to move transactions within a non-cursor loop into procedures.
• #31 - G-4250: Avoid using identical conditions in different branches of the same IF or CASE statement.
• #44/#90 - G-4260: Avoid inverting boolean conditions with NOT.
• #45 - G-4270: Avoid comparing boolean values to boolean literals.
• #50 - G-4325: Never reuse labels in inner scopes.
• #36 - G-5080: Always use FORMAT_ERROR_BACKTRACE when using FORMAT_ERROR_STACK or SQLERRM.
• #35 - G-7125: Always use CREATE OR REPLACE instead of CREATE alone.
• #25 - G-7250: Never use RETURN in package initialization block.
• #30 - G-7330: Always assign values to OUT parameters.
• #27 - G-7720: Never use multiple UPDATE OF in trigger event clause.
• #84 - G-7730: Avoid multiple DML events per trigger if primary key is assigned in trigger.
• #40 - G-9010: Always use a format model in string to date/time conversion functions.
• #40 - G-9020: Try to use a format model and NLS_NUMERIC_CHARACTERS in string to number conversion functions.
• #40 - G-9030: Try to define a default value on conversion errors.
• #88/#89 - Added "Unsupported in PL/SQL Cop Validators” section for every guideline without validator in PL/SQL Cop

Changed

• #77 - G-5040: Added exception for logging framework calls
• #78 - G-1050: Added exception for logging framework calls
• #79 - G-7230: Added exception for constants
• #85 - G-4220: Added warning regarding different NULL handling in DECODE and CASE
• #93/#98 - Updated Appendix B with changed/new rules
• #95 - Updated trivadis/mktools docker image
• #97 - Included Material for MkDocs 6.0 in trivadis/mktools docker image

Fixed

• #87 - Fixed typo in coding-style.md
• #92 - G-3190 added a newline
• #94 - G-3310 added a better example

Version 3.6

https://trivadis.github.io/plsql-and-sql-coding-guidelines/v3.6/
PLSQL-and-SQL-Coding-Guidelines.pdf

Fixed

• #74 - Dead links in introduction chapter
• #76 - Changed title of Urban Lankes in foreword

Version 3.5

https://trivadis.github.io/plsql-and-sql-coding-guidelines/v3.5/
PLSQL-and-SQL-Coding-Guidelines.pdf

Improved

• #13 - PLSQL-and-SQL-Coding-Guidelines.pdf included in HTML site in chapter Appendix
• #73 - Static text in revision history with link to release information

Version 3.4

https://trivadis.github.io/plsql-and-sql-coding-guidelines/v3.4/
PLSQL-and-SQL-Coding-Guidelines.pdf

New

• #55 - Added naming conventions for check constraints (_ck suffix)
• #56 - Added section "We do not agree with all your standards" in introduction chapter
• #56 - Added footnote for tables, views; explaining why we use plurals in naming conventions chapter
• #56 - Added footnote for indention; explaining why we use 3 spaces in coding style chapter
• #70 - Extended naming conventions for views and tables regarding EBR (_eb suffix)

Improved

• #4 - Renamed the use of "ANSI-join" to "ANSI SQL-92 join" (title and reason in G-3130)
• #7 - Renamed G-8420 to G-8510 to follow numbering rules (new chapter)
• #14 - Do not wrap lines in code blocks on devices with small screen widths
• #61 - Add explanation to good example of G-3150 regarding GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY
• #62 - Renamed G-3160 from
  "Avoid virtual columns to be visible" to
  "Avoid visible virtual columns"
• #63 - Add char semantic in column of G-3170
• #64 - Improved formatting of bad example in G-4220 (decode)
• #67 - Renamed G-8410 from
  "Always use application locks to ensure a program unit only running once at a given time" to
  "Always use application locks to ensure a program unit is only running once at a given time"
• Updated Trivadis logo (without slogan "makes IT easier")

Fixed

• #18 - Example uses one parameter, G-7110 is applied only for two and more parameters
• #20 - Added missing G- prefix in G-7320
• #21 - Incomplete good and bad examples in G-8410
• #65 - Broken link in G-4310, McConnell, Steve C. (2004). Code Complete. Second Edition. Microsoft Press.
• #66 - Grammar in bad example of G-5030
• #67 - Wrong parameter in bad example of G-8410 (in_lock_handle instead of in_lock_name)
• #68 - Typo in reason of G-8510

Version 3.3

https://trivadis.github.io/plsql-and-sql-coding-guidelines/v3.3/
PLSQL-and-SQL-Coding-Guidelines.pdf

Improved

• #1 Split single word document into several markup files
• #6 Ensure that every rule in chapter 4 (Language usage) has a reason

Version 3.2

PLSQL-and-SQL-Coding-Guidelines.pdf

• Released in January 2017
• Various small corrections