sqldeveloper ORA-12505. TNS: listener does not currently know of SID given in connect descriptor There are similar questions asked and answered in this network related to the error message given in the question, however this problem is a little different from each.

I have installed oracle 12c in my ubuntu can successfully connect to my hr user with sqlplus hr/hr@pdborcl through command prompt.

oracle@ubuntu:~$ sqlplus hr/hr@pdborcl
SQL*Plus: Release 12.1.0.2.0 Production on Mon Nov 16 21:57:24 2015
Copyright (c) 1982, 2014, Oracle.  All rights reserved.
Last Successful login time: Mon Nov 16 2015 21:24:32 +05:45
Connected to:
Oracle Database 12c Enterprise Edition Release 12.1.0.2.0 - 64bit Production
With the Partitioning, OLAP, Advanced Analytics and Real Application Testing options

SQL&gt;show user;
USER is "HR"


I am however trying to use sqldeveloper for ease. In the create connection option in sqldeveloper when I give the following credentials

I get the following error. 
    
    ORA-12505. TNS: listener does not currently know of SID given in connect descriptor.

However connection with 

Username: sys
Password: ******
SID:orcl

And same all other credentials work fine.

My tnsname.ora has 

PDBORCL =
  (DESCRIPTION =
   (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = localhost)(PORT = 1521))
    (CONNECT_DATA =
    (SERVER = DEDICATED)
    (SERVICE_NAME = pdborcl)
   )
 )

ORCL =
 (DESCRIPTION =
  (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = localhost)(PORT = 1521))
  (CONNECT_DATA =
    (SERVER = DEDICATED)
    (SERVICE_NAME = orcl)
  )
 )
You have to use Service Names to connect to Pluggable Databases in 12c.

It's just one of those things that can trip you up, I guess! SQL Plus connecting OK probably threw you.