Oracle Application Express is a rapid web application development tool for the Oracle database. Oracle Application Express is also known as “ORACLE APEX” or “APEX”. Using only a web browser and limited programming experience, you can develop and deploy professional applications that are both fast and secure.

APEX is Oracle product and has been around for many years. Over the years, the product has been changed and has been given different names in order to fit its purpose in the community. APEX is most recent name since 2000 and before APEX, the product was called HTML DB. HTML DB stood for RAD which was Rapid Application Development, the name HTML DB cause so much confusion and had to be modified. HTML DB was a tool used to develop web applications using a web browser.
Read more about APEX history here.

The goal of I writing this people, is because recently I begun working with this development tool, APEX and I would like to share some of the personal experiences about this development environment.
In the beginning, I discovered APEX was a very hard development environment to learn( I still think so though) but I have discovered that it is one of the best web application development for businesses which if one masters this environment, building any business applications will be so easy like a piece of cake. I have begun working with APEX for about three months now, in the beginning I used to hate this development environment and now I despised PL/SQL programming, but know I have a little of understanding and I am still gathering much more knowledge and I would like to share with you this knowledge.

Why use APEX? Why is it so important for a business or to make business application?
First of all, APEX is a freeware software development environment which works only in Oracle databases. APEX can be used by any company or business and Oracle does not charge for anything for this development environment.
Second advantage of APEX is that it is very fast and easy to build and deploy business web applications. APEX environment is divided into two types which are development environment and run-time environment.
Third advantage is all the processing and validation of different data is done on the server side. Even though this has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Fourth advantage is APEX allows integration of different JavaScript frameworks. JavaScript can increase features and functionality of your web applications and also can bring about nice UI components. APEX allows integration with any framework. Personally, I have used jQuery and Mootools with APEX and they all work smoothly and well.
Fifth advantage is the number of ready to use components which are available. APEX has a total of 20 themes and many components such as charts, tables, reports and many others. For I this was the most interesting part. APEX ready made components makes it easy for a developer to produce a business web application without using much time and effort. Also, it is extremely easy to make and build custom components because the APEX API is available.

Sixth, I will include a lot of all other advantages in a group. APEX has a and its number is growing very fast. APEX has pre build-in Authentication schemes which can be modified by user. APEX has check-sum for different items and components to make your whole application secure.

After mentioning the few advantages of APEX, I would like to point out on the few things which I have discovered them to be a very big disadvantage to work with APEX.

A long learning curve:

• for developers who are not familiar with PL/SQL. Since much of the code is written in PL/SQL then APEX developers have to know it very well.
• is required to master APEX templates. This happens when a custom theme has to be build, it is very hard to read and understand how APEX templates are designed. And also in order to be able to modify templates developer has to know HTML very well.
• for custom features if are needed. Most of the APEX components are basic and hence if customized features or functions are needed then developer has to know JavaScript which can be used to build desired features.

Poor debugging environment which is not nice and easy to understand. A developer is not able to debug the code at run time.
Complex architecture of how the whole APEX environment works/ functions. The whole APEX engine is in database, the pages are being served with Oracle HTTP Server. It is extremely hard to understand it.
Vendor-lock in problem because if one begins developing applications using APEX, then developer will be fixed with only Oracle and its products, also if a company decides to work mainly with APEX, then it has to change its whole line of products and begin using APEX.

Well, I have mentioned the pros and cons of ORACLE APEX, however I have come to discover that it is the best technology which can be used to develop rapid business application such as reports and charts. APEX comes with pre built-in features and components which are not available in any other development environment. These makes the developers life easier and better. Ability to handle web services and manipulate it well.

Oracle has a lot of products which are being used by many companies such as Oracle BI and others. It is extremely easy to integrate these products with APEX. I strongly believe APEX is a good environment for business web application.
I hope I have not discouraged one from trying to work with Oracle Application Express. The aim is to assist other developers to learn more about it.
I hope you will come along and follow me as I try to travel (learn and discover) with APEX.

About the author:  Developer specialized in creating business applications with Oracle APEX and Java. An Expert in XML and XSLT programming. Read more from this author

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