🧩 How to Check the Oracle Database Version in Linux (Step by Step Guide)

🧩 Introduction

When working with Oracle Database on Linux, one of the first things you may need to do is check the database version. This is very useful for troubleshooting, patching, or preparing for an upgrade. In this article, I will show you several simple methods to find the Oracle version directly from your Linux server.

1. Check Oracle Version from SQL*Plus

Open your terminal and connect to the database:

sqlplus / as sysdba

After login, run:

SELECT * FROM v$version;

👉 This will display the Oracle version, release number, and patch set level.

2. Check Version from Banner

You can also use:

SELECT banner FROM v$version WHERE banner LIKE 'Oracle%';

This will give you the exact Oracle Database version without extra details.

3. From Oracle Home Directory

If you don’t want to log into SQL*Plus, run this command:

$ORACLE_HOME/OPatch/opatch lsinventory | grep 'Oracle Database'

This will list the installed Oracle version and patch level.

Conclusion

Checking the Oracle Database version in Linux is very simple. You can do it from SQL*Plus, from the banner, or even from the Oracle Home directory using OPatch. As an Oracle/Linux administrator, this should be one of the first things you know how to do.