Oracle provides quarterly updates in the form of Release Updates (RUs) to release new features, upgrade existing features, enhance security, or fix problems with supported software.

Starting with Oracle Database 23ai, RUs are delivered in two formats:

• As a gold image that you can install out-of-place like a new software release.
• As a binary patch that you can apply in-place using OPatch or OPatchAuto.

You can apply out-of-place Oracle Database patches using the following steps:

1. Download the RU as a gold image.
2. Create a new Oracle home (target) identical to the old Oracle home (source) in the same Oracle base as the source Oracle home, using runInstaller -setupDBHomeAs.
3. Move Oracle Database from the old Oracle home to the new Oracle home.

After you move the database to the new Oracle home, all database services will start from the new home.