Quick development and deployment for simple apps!
Overall Satisfaction with Oracle Application Express
Right now I created a small app to track pending/ongoing tasks using APEX on the newly available Oracle Cloud Free Tier. I decided to create it to simplify how I manage and execute my daily tasks in order to be able to both track advance and manage dependencies between tasks. I use Trello to keep boards with simple tasks but managing dependencies was something not simple to achieve, so I decided to try a solution that solved my problems while starting to use APEX.
Pros
- The UI is very easy to use, and you can choose from a number of templates for each "screen" you design.
- You can design basic CRUD screens without knowing the "details" (technology) under the hood.
- It's easy to test. Just one click, and the page you are working on is executed.
Cons
- Deployment on an OnPremise DB is not so simple. You need to follow many steps (that's why I used the Cloud version!).
- I am currently using it myself, since some of the tasks and activities I perform daily were hard to follow up using my company tools. I did not perform an ROI analysis since I developed it in my free time just to simplify my daily work, but I'm really happy with the results I obtained in a few days of development.
I did not evaluate any other Rapid Application Development tool. I wanted a quick and simple solution just for my personal use so I directly tried using APEX since I work with Oracle databases and have a good background on the SQL and PL/SQL languages. I am currently replacing a couple of Trello boards where I used to follow up the task, since I can now manage tasks dependencies.
Do you think Oracle APEX delivers good value for the price?
Yes
Are you happy with Oracle APEX's feature set?
Yes
Did Oracle APEX live up to sales and marketing promises?
Yes
Did implementation of Oracle APEX go as expected?
Yes
Would you buy Oracle APEX again?
Yes
Oracle APEX Feature Ratings
Using Oracle Application Express
1 - I developed a small app to track tasks, I'm currently using it myself
Currently we do not have in-house support. The application was developed and deployed on Oracle Cloud Free Tier so all admin task are automated and handled directly by Oracle Cloud. I developed some new features / enhancements and also fixed a bug once I discovered it, but the business rules of the app are really simply and no additional work is foreseen.
- Follow up tasks with multiple dependencies
- I plan to add other devops staff as users
- Replace traditional CRUD pages developed using C# with CRUD pages hosted on APEX for our Oracle based modules.
Evaluating Oracle Application Express and Competitors
- Price
- Product Features
- Product Usability
Since it is a free to use product, that can be deployed to any existing Oracle Database (or use it on the cloud) I decided to use it to create a small app that help me track daily tasks. It may be later moved to a database hosted in any company server if we decide to use the app with other company employees.
No, I would not change the evaluation / selection process. It was a "direct" one, since I was looking for a free product that could be deployed locally (my own PC, hosting an Oracle XE database instance), on a company (on-premise) server or even on the cloud, and APEX clearly fitted into this criteria.
Oracle Application Express Implementation
- Implemented in-house
Change management was minimal - Since I'm the only user of current app, and I'm using it as a test to improve the way I can track some complex task status, change management was not required since we still did not change the current company process. In the future if we decide to integrate this with existing task management software it may require adapting the process and the app.
- To use it locally (on my own PC) it requires a DB instance (I already have an Oracle XE database for prototyping / testing) but the deployment process was not easy, having to decide between different ways to install that require different actions. I preferred to use the CLOUD version of the product that does not require any install / deploy.
Oracle Application Express Support
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
None | None |
Not Available
Fortunately, I did not have the need to ask for support with Oracle.
Using Oracle Application Express
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using Familiar | None |
- Page Templates
- None
Yes, but I don't use it
Comments
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