To get the list of columns of a table in Oracle, we use to query the view “USER_TAB_COLUMNS” to get the columns of the tables or views owned by the current user. Or use the other view “USER_TAB_COLS“.

SELECT table_name
,column_name
,data_type
,data_length
,nullable
,data_default
FROM  user_tab_columns
WHERE table_name = '&YOUTABLENAME'
ORDER BY column_id;

in the above query, we selected 7 columns to retrieve the most important information that you might be looking for in table columns which are

• table names: the table name.
• column name: column name.
• data type: column data type like varchar2, number, etc.
• data length: the value length.
• nullable: whether the table accepts the null value or not.
• data_default: whether the column has a default value or not.

Note: you have to specify the table name parameter in uppercase.

Note 2: If you use the above view, you will get all unhidden columns, but if you query the view “USER_TAB_COLS” you will get all columns, including hidden columns.

Another view is “ALL_TAB_COLUMNS” this one is the same as “USER_TAB_COLUMNS” except that the “ALL_TAB_COLUMNS” view has a column called “OWNER” in which you can specify the owner of the table that you want to get its columns list.