Recursive PeopleTools SQL

When a SQL statement that is not in the library cache is submitted to Oracle, the instance must parse the SQL in order to determine whether the SQL is valid, and if so how to execute it. During the parse process, the instance queries the data dictionary in order to obtain information about the tables and columns in the statement. The SQL generated by the parsing that queries the data dictionary is called recursive SQL and can be seen in an Oracle SQL*Trace.⁴

PeopleSoft uses its own data dictionary in a similar way. All of the application objects in a PeopleSoft application are stored in the PeopleTools tables. When a component is executed, the component processor in the PIA must load the objects, if they are not already cached and up to date, by querying the PeopleTools tables. Application Engine, Query, and nVision also query PeopleTools tables in order to execute.