How to Check If Your Oracle Database Is Multitenant (CDB or non-CDB)

Oracle introduced the Multitenant Architecture starting in version 12c. This allows multiple Pluggable Databases (PDBs) to exist inside a single Container Database (CDB), bringing flexibility for consolidation, management, and cloning. However, not all databases are CDBs—especially in earlier versions or depending on how the database was created.

This post will show you how to check whether your Oracle database is a CDB (multitenant) or a traditional non-CDB, using simple SQL queries.

Quick Version-Based Clarity

So if you’re using Oracle 12c–19c, you need to check explicitly using SQL whether it’s a CDB or not.

✅ How to Check If It’s a CDB or non-CDB

You can use the following SQL statements to confirm the architecture of your Oracle database.

1. Check Using V$DATABASE

SQL> SELECT cdb FROM v$database;

CDB
---
YES

Result:

• YES → It’s a CDB (Container Database)
• NO → It’s a non-CDB (Traditional database)

2. Check Using V$PDBS

SQL> SELECT name FROM v$pdbs;

NAME
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PDB$SEED
FREEPDB1

Interpretation:

• Returns rows → Database contains Pluggable Databases → It is a CDB.
• No rows selected → Database has no PDBs → It is a non-CDB.

Sample Outputs

Traditional Database (non-CDB)

SQL> SELECT cdb FROM v$database;

CDB
---
NO

SQL> SELECT name FROM v$pdbs;

no rows selected

✅ This confirms a traditional architecture (non-CDB).

Multitenant Database (CDB)

SQL> SELECT cdb FROM v$database;

CDB
---
YES

SQL> SELECT name FROM v$pdbs;

NAME
----------
ORCLPDB1

✅ This confirms a multitenant setup with a pluggable database.

Does This Matter to Users?

For application users or developers, there’s typically no functional difference in how they connect or use the database. But for DBAs, this distinction is critical—especially for:

• Backup and recovery planning
• Database refresh and cloning
• Data Guard and patching strategies
• Upgrade planning

Knowing whether your DB is multitenant helps ensure the correct procedures and tools are used.

📌 Summary