Oracle Function Reference

Oracle NVL() Function

Learn how to use the Oracle NVL function to handle NULL values and default replacements.

Syntax

NVL(value, replacement)

Basic Example

SELECT NVL(phone, 'No phone') AS phone_display
FROM customers;

When to use it

Use NVL when you need a null operation in Oracle. This page is designed as a quick reference for developers, analysts, and students comparing SQL dialects.

Common mistake

A common mistake is copying syntax from another SQL dialect. Always verify function name, argument order, and formatting tokens for Oracle.

Related SQL Functions

MySQL IFNULL() Function
MySQL COALESCE() Function
MySQL NULLIF() Function
PostgreSQL COALESCE() Function
PostgreSQL NULLIF() Function
SQL Server ISNULL() Function

FAQ

Is NVL available in every SQL database?

Not always. Function names and argument behavior can differ across SQL engines.

Can I use this in SELECT queries?

Yes. Most SQL functions are commonly used in SELECT and often in WHERE, ORDER BY, and GROUP BY depending on the function.