Difference between object and record type

Question

I am just curious whats the difference between object and record type in oracle, More specifically between the below declarations

create type emp2_oty is object 
(
 empno  number,
 ename  varchar2(20),
 deptno number
);

create type emp2_nt is table of emp2_oty;

and

type emp2_oty is record
(
 empno  number,
 ename  varchar2(20),
 deptno number
);

create type emp2_nt is table of emp2_oty;

Please elaborate.

Answer 1

The OBJECT type can be stored in the database and can be used in both SQL and PL/SQL

Answer 2

• record:

     Cannot be stored in the database.
     Cannot be recursively referenced.
     Cannot have logic defined as part of their definition.
  

• object:

     Can be stored as a database table column or as an entire row.
     Can be recursively referenced using the SELF parameter.
     Can have logic defined as part of their definition using member methods.
  

Answer 3

Understanding PL/SQL Records

Records are composed of a group of fields, similar to the columns in a row.The %ROWTYPE attribute lets you declare a PL/SQL record that represents a row in a database table, without listing all the columns.

Basically, if you are familiar with C/C++ or similar languages, you could tell that Records are nothing but structures (i.e a data type that can be used to group items of possibly different types into a single type) they can not have methods within. Objects on the other hand are completely different:

Oracle Objects

Oracle object types are user-defined types that make it possible to model real-world entities

1. Objects Can Encapsulate Operations Along with Data

Database tables contain only data. Objects can include the ability to perform operations (i.e methods) that are likely to be needed on that data (e.g a purchase order object might include a method to sum the cost of all the items purchased).

2. Objects Can Represent Part-Whole Relationships

An object can have other objects as attributes, and the attribute objects can have their own object attributes too. An entire parts-list hierarchy can be built up in this way from interlocking object types.

3. Objects Are Efficient

3.1 Object types and their methods are stored with the data in the database, so they are available for any application to use.

3.2 You can fetch and manipulate a set of related objects as a single unit (e.g when you select a customer object and get the customer's name, phone, and the multiple parts of his address in a single round-trip between the client and the server) .