Introduction to Oracle APEX

Oracle APEX (Oracle Application Express) is Oracle's strategic low-code application development platform designed to create enterprise applications. With its robust features and flexibility, it allows applications to be deployed in various environments, including Cloud or on-premises. This versatility makes APEX a powerful solution for modern businesses looking to develop and deploy applications quickly and efficiently while maintaining high levels of security and scalability.

Oracle APEX is the native local platform for the Oracle Database, offering a comprehensive set of tools within a single, extensible platform that simplifies application development by eliminating the complexities of traditional coding. It provides world-class components, a highly customizable user interface, and many additional features. By reducing the intricacies of creating multifaceted applications, APEX equips developers to quickly address business challenges while leveraging Oracle Database's native features for enhanced functionality and performance.

This complete, integrated, and secure data platform is suitable for deployments of any scale, enabling users to efficiently create reports, grids, forms, charts, calendars, and more, directly on top of their database data. Organizations can maximize their investment in SQL and PL/SQL expertise by utilizing APEX for development. The web-based development environment requires no additional client software, with application definitions stored as metadata within the database for streamlined management. Efficient page generation is achieved with just one request and one response, while all data processing is performed directly in the database.

Accessible to developers, business analysts, non-IT professionals, IT professionals, database developers, DBAs, and DevOps teams, APEX delivers a robust solution for a wide range of users.

Benefits of Oracle APEX

• Fully Supported and Cost-Effective: Oracle APEX is a no-cost feature included with Oracle Autonomous Database (OAD) and all Oracle database distributions and editions.
• Flexible Deployment: Runs seamlessly across all environments where Oracle Database operates—on-premises, Oracle Cloud, or other cloud platforms.
• Available Across Diverse Environments: In Oracle Cloud, APEX is offered as an all-inclusive service integrated with Database Cloud services for a streamlined experience.
• Integration with Autonomous Database: Combines with Oracle Autonomous Database, a fully-managed, AI-driven database environment that automates essential DBA tasks like backups, security, and performance tuning.
• Powerful Technology Suite: Oracle APEX and OAD on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) include robust tools such as Oracle REST Data Services and database actions to access, manage, and maintain data.
• Cost Efficiency: Delivers the fastest and lowest-cost way to develop and deploy world-class applications, eliminating traditional cost complexities associated with other low-code platforms.
• Prebuilt Security and Control: Provides all necessary prebuilt controls to securely access databases, manage user credentials, implement complex business rules, and maintain session state.
• Rapid Development: Enables quick development, customization, and deployment of business solutions.
• Low-Code Simplicity: The APEX engine handles low-level complexities with a declarative framework, letting developers focus on business needs rather than writing extensive code.
• Effortless Updates: Allows for easy application updates through declarative changes without modifying lines of code.
• Unlimited Scalability: No restrictions on the number of applications, developers, or end users utilizing the service.
• Free Data Transfers: No additional fees for data transfers into or out of the service, enhancing cost predictability and efficiency.

Oracle APEX combined with the world’s best-converged database, Oracle Autonomous Database, on the world’s best cloud infrastructure, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, delivers a comprehensive, scalable, and cost-efficient solution for low-code application development.

Availability in Architecture

Oracle APEX operates on a straightforward three-tier architecture, where requests are sent from the browser and routed through a web server to the database, with results returned to the browser via Oracle REST Data Services. All processing, including data manipulation and business logic, is executed directly within the database, ensuring immediate data access, exceptional performance, and built-in scalability. The processing is handled by PL/SQL, which works directly on the data schemas within the database. A single API call triggers the entire data processing workflow based on metadata definitions, all within a single request. Additionally, APEX enables the seamless migration of applications across Oracle Database Cloud Services, private and public clouds, on-premises environments, and even the free public evaluation service.

Use Cases

With Oracle APEX, you can create applications tailored to any industry, including those used daily by a large number of users. APEX simplifies the development of complex applications by minimizing technical intricacies and equipping developers with the tools needed to address business challenges, all without requiring expertise in extensive web technologies.

User Interface: The Universal Theme in APEX allows developers to create accessible, customizable, and maintainable applications without needing deep expertise in HTML, CSS, or JavaScript.
Data: APEX simplifies working with data, enabling seamless display, manipulation, charting, and processing from local databases, remote databases, or web services.
Visualization: Easy integration of stunning, fast, customizable, accessible, and versatile charts into the application.
Security: APEX ensures robust protection for your applications.
Globalization: APEX Applications function efficiently and accurately in multiple languages and localized environments.
Monitoring: Valuable insights into user interactions are provided through monitoring and logging, helping to identify hacking attempts, performance bottlenecks, and application errors.

Most common use cases for APEX:

One of the main use cases for APEX is replacing spreadsheets used for critical business functions. With APEX's wizard, you can easily transform a spreadsheet into a fully populated table in an Oracle database. In just a few clicks, you’ll have a functional application complete with reports and forms for managing the data. Drag-and-drop support for XLS, CSV, XML, or JSON files allows you to quickly convert them into a responsive and secure APEX application within minutes.
Users access a centralized APEX application through a single login, ensuring that everyone maintains and views the same up-to-date data. Instead of sharing files with all stakeholders, you simply share a URL with end users. Once the application is created, it can be enhanced with features like charts, calendars, validations, and more.

Another key use case for APEX is the rapid development of applications to address new business opportunities. These are often not enterprise-level applications and may only be needed temporarily. APEX's powerful wizards enable the creation of fully functional apps within days or weeks, with the flexibility to adapt to changing requirements. Simple, tactical applications for various needs can be built with little to no coding. Since both Oracle APEX and Oracle Forms are based on SQL and PL/SQL and utilize declarative development environments, transitioning from Oracle Forms to APEX is straightforward for developers. Additionally, APEX applications are fully responsive and mobile-ready by default, allowing them to run seamlessly on browsers or any device.

Another significant use case for APEX is extending ERP systems. While ERP platforms offer extensive functionality out of the box, APEX allows you to fill gaps, streamline workflows, and deliver targeted information that boosts productivity and enhances user satisfaction. With APEX, you can create applications to optimize routine business processes, improve data collection, and integrate diverse data sources seamlessly. APEX's robust architecture has supported thousands of applications worldwide for years. Its advanced reporting and data visualization capabilities make it much easier to develop tailored dashboards for different user groups, meeting their specific needs with efficiency.

APEX Workspace

Here are three great options to get started with Oracle APEX for free:

• Always Free APEX Service: Access a preconfigured, fully managed, and secure environment in Oracle Cloud. This service allows you to create and use an APEX service free of charge for an unlimited time.

• Free Workspace on apex.oracle.com: Request a free workspace on the APEX website to explore and develop applications without any initial setup.

• Download and Install APEX locally

Addiotional ways to get started with Oracle APEX:

• APEX on Autonomous Database (OAD): Oracle's Autonomous Database in Oracle Cloud is ready for immediate use. APEX can be used on all autonomous database workload types and allows connections with SQL clients and non-APEX applications via Oracle Net Services.

• Install on Other Oracle Cloud Services

Getting Started with APEX Using the Always Free APEX Service

APEX Service provides support for APEX applications and their associated Oracle REST Data Services (ORDS) endpoints. It also includes development tools like Database Actions.

Before using APEX Service, you need an Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) account with access to an OCI tenancy.

To sign up for an Oracle Cloud Free Tier account, visit oracle.com/cloud/free.

Before starting with an APEX Service, you must set up your APEX Service instance by creating an APEX workspace. This workspace is a virtual private database that allows multiple users to collaborate within the same Oracle APEX installation while keeping their objects, data, and applications private. Each workspace is identified by a unique numeric ID and name.

On the APEX Instance Administration Services page, enter a password and click "Sign In To Administration". After signing in, you will need to create a workspace. You can decide whether to create a new schema or link your workspace to an existing schema. If you're starting fresh, select the option to create a new schema. For this, simply enter a workspace name, username, and password for the username. Once this is done, your workspace will be created. Finally, sign out of the Administration Services and sign in to the workspace to begin building applications.

The second option is to sign up for a Free Workspace on apex.oracle.com.

First, open your browser and go to apex.oracle.com, then click on "Sign In" On the Sign In page, you'll find a link called "Request a Workspace". Click on this link, fill in the required details, and follow the instructions in the wizard to obtain a free workspace.

Product Components

After signing in to your APEX workspace, the workspace home page appears. Here, you can access key development components, including App Builder, SQL Workshop, Team Development, and Gallery.

App Builder is used to create and manage applications and their pages. Applications consist of a collection of HTML pages built on database objects. With App Builder, you can design, develop, and deploy applications that are both visually appealing and responsive. The App Builder home page displays all the applications installed in the current APEX instance. Selecting an application opens its home page, where you can run the application or choose to edit, export, copy, delete it, or you can import another application. To modify an application, you can edit specific pages or click "Create Page" to add new ones.

SQL Workshop offers tools for managing and viewing database objects. When you access SQL Workshop, you'll find options like Object Browser, SQL Commands, SQL Scripts, Utilities, and RESTful Services. The Object Browser lets you explore object properties using a tree control and create new objects, while the SQL Commands tool allows you to execute ad hoc SQL statements. SQL Scripts lets you save and run scripts. Within Utilities, you'll find Data Workshop for loading and unloading text, DDL, and spreadsheet data. Additionally, Query Builder is available, enabling you to construct joined queries with a drag-and-drop interface.

Team Development is a tool for tracking and managing issues in a collaborative, conversational manner. It allows you to create templates to provide users with statistics on issues and comments. You can also add labels and label groups, assign issue owners, and set milestones.

Gallery provides access to starter applications, sample applications, and custom applications from the Oracle APEX GitHub repository. Starter Applications are fully functional solutions designed to meet simple requirements independently. Sample Apps, built with sample data, showcase specific features and serve as a developer guide for implementing those features. These applications can be used as they are or customized with additional functionality. Custom Apps are unique to your workspace and are only accessible if enabled by your instance administrator.

Oracle APEX GitHub Repository: The Oracle APEX GitHub repository provides starter applications, code samples, and plugins that you can explore, learn from, and experiment with in Oracle APEX. It is accessible at https://github.com/oracle/apex and includes resources to help customize your applications.

• Docs: Contains the installation source files.
• Plugins: Offers examples for APEX plugins.
• Sample Apps: Includes the sample applications available in the APEX gallery.
• Sample Code: Provides code examples showcasing APEX functionality.
• Starter Apps: Features starter applications found in the APEX gallery.

This repository serves as a valuable resource for developers looking to enhance their APEX skills and build customized applications.