Oracle Data Pump Import is a utility for loading an Oracle export dump file set into a target system.

An export dump file set is made up of one or more disk files that contain table data, database object metadata, and control information. The files are written in a proprietary, binary format. During an Oracle Data Pump import operation, the Import utility uses these files to locate each database object in the dump file set.

You can also use Import to load a target database directly from a source database with no intervening dump files. This type of import is called a network import.

Import enables you to specify whether a job should move a subset of the data and metadata from the dump file set or the source database (in the case of a network import), as determined by the import mode. This is done by using data filters and metadata filters, which are implemented through Import commands.