21 Using the Metadata APIs

The DBMS_METADATA API enables you to do the following:

• Retrieve an object's metadata as XML

• Transform the XML in a variety of ways, including transforming it into SQL DDL

• Submit the XML to re-create the object extracted by the retrieval

The DBMS_METADATA_DIFF API lets you compare objects between databases to identify metadata changes over time in objects of the same type.

See the following topics:

• Why Use the DBMS_METADATA API?

• Overview of the DBMS_METADATA API

• Using the DBMS_METADATA API to Retrieve an Object's Metadata

• Using the DBMS_METADATA API to Re-Create a Retrieved Object

• Using the DBMS_METADATA API to Retrieve Collections of Different Object Types

• Using the DBMS_METADATA_DIFF API to Compare Object Metadata

• Performance Tips for the Programmatic Interface of the DBMS_METADATA API

• Example Usage of the DBMS_METADATA API

• Summary of DBMS_METADATA Procedures

• Summary of DBMS_METADATA_DIFF Procedures