Oracle created the Oracle Database and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
Oracle Corporation began as Software Development Laboratories in 1977, founded by Larry Ellison, Bob Miner, and Ed Oates. The company developed a commercial relational database based on ideas described in a research paper by IBM computer scientist Edgar F. Codd. It adopted the Oracle name in 1982.
The Oracle Database became a major enterprise technology because relational databases organize information into tables that can be queried and connected. Companies use database systems for applications such as finance, inventory, customer records, and online services. Oracle later expanded into business software, cloud infrastructure, and hardware through acquisitions and product development.
Oracle moved its corporate headquarters from Redwood Shores, California, to Austin in 2020. It is frequently confused with the unrelated Oracle Corporation name used in older historical references, but the modern company’s best-known product remains its database platform. Its recurring enterprise and cloud revenue has supported a market value among the world’s largest technology companies.