What Happens If Variable Names Collide with Table/Column Names in Oracle?

When a variable name collides with a column name, PL/SQL will use it as the variable if it is used where variable is allowed; It will be used as the column, if it is used where variable is not allowed but column is allowed. Here is a good example of variable names collide with column names:

CREATE TABLE student (id NUMBER(5) PRIMARY KEY,
  first_name VARCHAR(80) NOT NULL,
  last_name VARCHAR(80) NOT NULL);
Table created.

DECLARE
  id NUMBER;
  first_name CHAR(10);
BEGIN
  id := 29;
  first_name := 'Bob';
  INSERT INTO student VALUES(id, first_name, 'Henry');
  first_name := 'Joe';
  INSERT INTO student VALUES(id+1, first_name, 'Bush');

  first_name := 'Fyi';
  UPDATE student SET first_name = first_name WHERE id = 29;
    -- 1 row updated
    -- Both 'first_name's are treated as column names

  UPDATE student SET first_name = first_name
    WHERE id = id+1;
    -- 0 rows updated
    -- Both "id"s are treated as variable names
    
  DELETE FROM student WHERE id = id;                    
    -- 2 rows deleted
END;   
/

SELECT * FROM student;
0 rows selected

Noticed that "id = id+1" in the WHERE clause will be evaluated to FALSE, because both "id"s are treated as variables. Similarly "id = id" will also be evaluated to TRUE in the WHERE clause. But both "first_name"s in the SET clause will be treated as column names.

⇒ Name Conflicts between Variables and Columns in Oracle

⇐ Use Variables in SQL Statements in Oracle

⇑ Working with Database Objects in Oracle PL/SQL

⇑⇑ Oracle Database Tutorials