## Syntax
```mermaid
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'themeVariables': {
'fontSize': '11px',
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flowchart LR
Start((START)) --> OBJECT_EXISTS[OBJECT_EXISTS]:::quoted
OBJECT_EXISTS --> End((END))
```
## Purpose
The `OBJECT_EXISTS` SQL function determines whether an object such as a table exists in the data dictionary.
Parameters:
- Name (`varchar2`): name of the object, optionally including a data container alias.
Returns: whether the object exists as a `boolean`.
## Examples
The following example determines whether the table `dual` exists in the data dictionary:
```sql
select object_exists('dual@DataDictionary')
-------------------
true
```
The following example determines whether the table `nonsense` exists in the data dictionary:
```sql
select object_exists('nonsense@DataDictionary')
-------------------
false
```