a role is (almost) a user in oracle

in postgresql there is the “create role” command to create both: a role and a user. in oracle there is “create user” and “create role”. but in the background it is almost the same:

SQL> create role my_role;

Role created.

SQL> create user u identified by u;

User created.

SQL> select name, type# from user$ where name in ('MY_ROLE','U');

NAME				    TYPE#
------------------------------ ----------
MY_ROLE 				0
U					1

it is the type, that matters.