In Oracle, the terms "user" and "schema" are closely related but refer to slightly different concepts.
-
User:
- In Oracle, a user is a login account with a username and password. Each user has its own set of privileges and permissions within the Oracle database.
- Users are associated with specific login credentials and can connect to the database independently.
- Users can own schema objects such as tables, views, procedures, functions, etc.
-
Schema:
- A schema in Oracle is a collection of database objects (such as tables, views, indexes, etc.) that are owned by a specific user.
- It's a logical container for organizing and managing database objects.
- A user can have its own schema, and the schema's name is typically the same as the username by default.
- A schema is not a physical structure; it's a way to organize and manage database objects within a user's account.
In summary, a user is a login account with access privileges and can own schema objects, while a schema is a logical container for organizing and managing database objects owned by a specific user. Often, the terms are used interchangeably, especially when the schema's name is the same as the username, but it's important to understand the distinction between them.
