In an Oracle session, how can you enable SQL trace for the current session to capture detailed execution statistics?

Introduction / Context:
SQL tracing is a powerful diagnostic feature in Oracle databases that captures detailed information about the execution of SQL statements, including parse times, execution statistics, and wait events. Application developers and database administrators use trace data to tune slow queries and diagnose performance issues. This question focuses on the standard way to enable tracing at the session level, that is, only for the currently connected session and not for the entire instance or for all users.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are working inside an Oracle database session.
• We want to collect detailed execution statistics for SQL statements issued by this session.
• We are focusing on trace at session level, not system wide tracing.
• We assume the user has privileges to alter the session.

Concept / Approach:
In Oracle, the ALTER SESSION statement allows a user to change session level parameters that affect behavior only for the current connection. One of the parameters that can be switched on is SQL_TRACE. When SQL trace is enabled for a session, Oracle writes detailed trace information to a server side trace file. The typical command is ALTER SESSION SET sql_trace = TRUE. In more advanced scenarios, the DBMS_MONITOR package can be used to enable tracing based on service, module, or session identifiers, but the basic mechanism at session level is still built on the same concept. Turning trace on and off in the correct scope helps limit overhead and keep diagnostics focused.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Connect to the Oracle database using a tool such as SQL Plus, SQL Developer, or another client. Step 2: Confirm that you are in the session for which you want to enable trace, usually a test or tuning session. Step 3: Execute ALTER SESSION SET sql_trace = TRUE to enable SQL tracing for that connection. Step 4: Run the SQL statements or application operations that need to be analyzed. Step 5: When finished, optionally disable tracing using ALTER SESSION SET sql_trace = FALSE and then locate the trace file on the database server for analysis.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify that tracing is active, you can query dynamic performance views like V$SESSION to check the SQL_TRACE flag, or you can simply perform some operations and then confirm that a new trace file has been created in the database diagnostic destination. For more granular control, DBMS_MONITOR.SESSION_TRACE_ENABLE may be used, but the exam style question is usually testing familiarity with ALTER SESSION SET sql_trace = TRUE as the straightforward approach.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is wrong because DROP SESSION CURRENT is not a valid command for enabling trace and would suggest terminating the session instead. Option C is incorrect, since there is no ANALYZE SESSION VALIDATE TRACE command in Oracle. Option D is misleading: granting SELECT ANY DICTIONARY affects access to data dictionary views, not tracing. Option E is also wrong because committing transactions does not enable trace; it only finalizes DML operations such as insert, update, or delete.

Common Pitfalls:
One common mistake is enabling trace at the system level instead of for a single session, which can generate very large trace files and impact performance. Another error is forgetting to turn tracing off, leaving overhead active longer than needed. Some administrators also try to enable tracing only from client side tools without the required privileges, leading to confusion about whether trace is actually running. Understanding the exact command ALTER SESSION SET sql_trace = TRUE helps ensure focused, controlled diagnostic sessions.

Final Answer:
To enable SQL trace for the current Oracle session, you should issue ALTER SESSION SET sql_trace = TRUE, which turns on detailed tracing for all statements in that connection.