In this blog post, I showed how using the data pump wizard in SQL Developer, you can execute data pump export and import jobs to move data between databases. A pretty simple, GUI based tool that automated and even scheduled the entire process. However, Oracle is discontinuing SQL Developer, ... well at least the classic desktop version, which is the same one I demonstrated in the referenced blog post. SQL Developer itself is fine and isn't going anywhere, developers love it. It's just transforming ... a bit.

So here's what's actually happening. Oracle will deprecate the standalone Java-based desktop application and all future development, features, and innovations are shifting entirely to the modern Oracle SQL Developer Extension for VS code which is freely available for download here. This is the de facto standard for Oracle Database development and administration tools which is now fully integrated into Visual Studio Code. It brings familiar SQL Developer workflows to experienced Oracle Database users who want to stay inside VS Code. You can still execute SQL queries and scripts, build and debug PL/SQL, manage schema objects, inspect performance, administer users and roles, and work with Oracle APEX applications as always. It also integrates with Oracle SQLcl, Oracle's command-line interface and MCP Server for Oracle Database. Use SQLcl from an integrated terminal, run SQL and PL/SQL from your editor. For more information, please have a look at Jeff's blog post here. 

At the end of the day, you should consider migrating to VS Code if you're still using the classic desktop version of SQL Developer. Which then brings us to the point of this blog. We already know how to use the Data Pump wizard in SQL Developer Classic, so how can we accomplish the same in VS Code? Well, you first need to have VS Code installed as well as setup and configure the Oracle SQL Developer Extension for VS code as described in the download link above. With this done, you should be able to see the SQL Developer tab in VS Code as shown below. 

You can then go ahead create database connections just like you would in classic SQL Developer, entering TNS/Wallet and service name details etc. Here I have a Base Database System, TestDB_System from which I'll export the HR schema and import into the TargetADB instance. 

Now, unlike classic SQL Developer, where we have the Data Pump Wizard taking you through each phase of the export and import process, that is not available with VS Code. Matter of fact, you don't even run data pump itself inside of the VS code tools directly, instead you run the traditional expdp and/or impdp commands from VS Code's integrated terminal. This means on the machine where you run VS code, you need to ensure these executables are available either by installing and setting up the Oracle Client or Database Tools. On the VS Code terminal, or any shell, type expdp to test. 

As in with any expdp process, you need to ensure you have the directory object setup, to which the dump files will be sent. In this example, I use a local file system and user system for the export job. 

You can then run the export command using your preferred parameters either in the command line or a .par file if it's a long one with several parameters. As mentioned before, I'm doing a simple export of the HR schema. 

The export executes successfully and we have the dump & log files in the directory location. And just like in the SQL Developer blog post, we then transfer the dump files into an Object Storage bucket for import into the ADB Instance and running impdp of course creating the pre-authenticated requests and credentials. You can see the process in the above referenced blog post. 

Hopefully, this helps make it easier for you to perform data pump jobs in VS code.