Oracle NVL2 Function: Understanding its Usage and Limitations

The Oracle NVL2 function is designed to handle null values in your SQL queries. It operates with two values, not three. It evaluates the first value you provide and returns the second value if the first is not null. If the first value is null, it returns the third value.

For instance, you can use it like this:

SELECT NVL2(column_name, 'Not Null', 'Is Null') FROM your_table;

This query would return 'Not Null' if the value in 'column_name' is not null, and 'Is Null' if it's null.

Remember, the NVL2 function is built to handle two values. If you need more complex conditional logic, consider using the CASE statement or other Oracle functions.