Before Oracle Database 12c, the SRVCTL command-line interface used single letter parameters. However, this imposes a limit on the number of unique parameters available for use with SRVCTL commands. SRVCTL command parameters introduced in Oracle Database 12c are full words instead of single letters, such as -multicastport and -subdomain.
To support backward compatibility, you can use a mix of single-letter parameters and new keyword parameters. New parameters introduced with keywords can be used with single letter parameters.
Note:
Starting with Oracle Database 12c, the single letter parameters are deprecated in favor of the keyword parameters to avoid using the same letter to implement different functionality depending on the command.
You can obtain the single-letter equivalents, where applicable, by adding the -compatible parameter after the -help parameter.