> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.btsscorp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Governed REST vs SQL

> How ORCA stays inside your Oracle security, and when direct SQL is allowed

This is the most important idea in ORCA. Everything ORCA does over Oracle's **REST APIs is governed** — Oracle checks the connection user's own function and data security on every call, so ORCA only ever sees what that user is allowed to see. New connections are **REST-only by default**.

<Warning>
  Direct **SQL through BIP bypasses per-user data security**. It stays off until an admin deliberately enables it, and even then the agent must ask before using it.
</Warning>

## The SQL toggle

Each connection card has an amber **SQL** toggle. When an admin turns it on, a panel explains the trade-off: SQL bypasses Oracle's per-user data security, the agent must ask before falling back to it, and every SQL-derived answer is labelled "via SQL".

When SQL is **off**, the agent never even sees the SQL tools (`run_sql`, `search_tables`, `describe_table`) — the model cannot call what does not exist.

## Production connections

The **Production connection** checkbox is stricter still:

* The agent **always re-asks** before running SQL on a prod connection.
* **Standing consent can never apply** to a prod connection.

## Standing consent

On a trusted non-production connection, an admin can grant **standing consent** — the "don't ask me again on this connection" toggle. It lets the agent skip the per-question ask, records **who granted it and when**, and is **revocable in Settings** at any time.

<Info>
  Consent removes the question, never the visibility. Even with standing consent, every SQL answer is still labelled — "via SQL (standing consent)".
</Info>

## FAQ

**Why don't I see any SQL tools?**
Because the connection's SQL toggle is off — the default. REST-only connections never expose the SQL tools to the agent. An admin must enable SQL on that connection first.

**The `table` discovery chip says skipped — is it broken?**
No. Table discovery reads comments over SQL, so it's skipped whenever SQL is disabled. Enable SQL and re-run discovery if you want it.