There are two approaches to handling methods: store the methods in external files,
as shown in Figure 26.12(a), and store the methods in the database, as shown in
Figure 26.12(b). The first approach is similar to function libraries or Application Programming
Interfaces (APIs) found in traditional DBMSs, in which an application program
interacts with a DBMS by linking in functions supplied by the DBMS vendor. With the
second approach, methods are stored in the database and are dynamically bound to the
application at runtime. The second approach offers several benefits: