This part describes the basic data structures of a database, including data integrity rules, and the structures that store metadata.

This part contains the following chapters:

• Tables and Table Clusters

• Indexes and Index-Organized Tables

• Partitions, Views, and Other Schema Objects

• Data Integrity

• Data Dictionary and Dynamic Performance Views

• Tables and Table Clusters
  This chapter provides an introduction to schema objects and discusses tables, which are the most common types of schema objects.
• Indexes and Index-Organized Tables
  Indexes are schema objects that can speed access to table rows. Index-organized tables are tables stored in an index structure.
• Partitions, Views, and Other Schema Objects
  Although tables and indexes are the most important and commonly used schema objects, the database supports many other types of schema objects, the most common of which are discussed in this chapter.
• Data Integrity
  This chapter explains how integrity constraints enforce the business rules associated with a database and prevent the entry of invalid information into tables.
• Data Dictionary and Dynamic Performance Views
  The central set of read-only reference tables and views of each Oracle database is known collectively as the data dictionary. The dynamic performance views are special views that are continuously updated while a database is open and in use.