This presentation examines all of the most important development tools and technologies available from Oracle today, discussing the strong and weak points of each: - Oracle Forms (the classical Oracle development tool, PL/SQL logic, data-driven design); - Application Development Framework (declarative development with JDeveloper, Java business logic, user interface driven design); - Application Express (declarative development in web browser,  PL/SQL business logic, data-driven design); - JavaScript Extension Framework (brand-new JavaScript-based framework for building the user interface layer); - Mobile Application Framework (specialized ADF-like tool for building mobile applications, generating native iOS and Android applications) The presentation includes how to decide if your application is data-driven or UI-driven, and how to choose the right tool for your project.

1. The Five Ways
of building Oracle Applications
AMIS 25 Beyond the Horizon 2016
Sten E. Vesterli sten@vesterli.com

2. Overview
ADF Business Components
ADF Faces
ADF Swing
Application Express
Oracle Forms
JavaScript Extension Toolkit
PL/SQL
Oracle Reports
SQL
Updates at
www.oratoolwatch.com

3. TIOBE index
Apr 2016
TIOBE.com

5. Who am I?
• Name: Sten Vesterli
• Mission: To make the world a better
place by helping people use appropriate
information technology to achieve their
goals
• 20 years of Oracle experience
• Oracle ACE Director since 2007
• Gave my first “5 ways” presentation in
1998

6. Books

7. Is your
application
data-driven or
UI-driven?

8. Two Types of Applications
• A data-driven application
– starts with data design
– derives the user interface from the data
• A UI-driven application
– Starts with workflows and tasks
– Build UI, build data structure, connect them

9. User Interface
Data
Data-driven
User Interface
Data
UI-driven

10. User Interface
Data
Data-driven
User Interface
Data
UI-driven
UI Facade

11. The Five Ways of Building Oracle
Applications
• Forms
• Application Express (APEX)
• Application Development Framework
(ADF)
• JavaScript Extension Toolkit (JET)
• Mobile Application Framework (MAF)

12. Oracle Forms Statement of
Direction (Doc ID 2009262.1)
“Oracle continues its commitment to Oracle
Forms. A new release is being planned and
new features and other improvements are
currently being reviewed.”

13. ... But:
“THIS DOCUMENT IN ANY FORM, SOFTWARE OR PRINTED MATTER, CONTAINS PROPRIETARY
INFORMATION THAT IS THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF ORACLE. YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF
THIS CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL IS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF YOUR ORACLE
SOFTWARE LICENSE AND SERVICE AGREEMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN EXECUTED AND WITH WHICH
YOU AGREE TO COMPLY. THIS DOCUMENT AND INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE
DISCLOSED, COPIED, REPRODUCED OR DISTRIBUTED TO ANYONE OUTSIDE ORACLE WITHOUT
PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF ORACLE. THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT PART OF YOUR LICENSE
AGREEMENT NOR CAN IT BE INCORPORATED INTO ANY CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT WITH
ORACLE OR ITS SUBSIDIARIES OR AFFILIATES. THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL
PURPOSES ONLY AND IS INTENDED SOLELY TO ASSIST YOU IN PLANNING FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION AND UPGRADE OF THE PRODUCT FEATURES DESCRIBED. IT IS NOT A
COMMITMENT TO DELIVER ANY MATERIAL, CODE, OR FUNCTIONALITY, AND SHOULD NOT BE
RELIED UPON IN MAKING PURCHASING DECISIONS. THE DEVELOPMENT, RELEASE, AND TIMING OF
ANY FEATURES OR FUNCTIONALITY DESCRIBED IN THIS DOCUMENT REMAINS AT THE SOLE
DISCRETION OF ORACLE. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE PRODUCT ARCHITECTURE, IT MAY NOT BE
POSSIBLE TO SAFELY INCLUDE ALL FEATURES DESCRIBED IN THIS DOCUMENT WITHOUT RISKING
SIGNIFICANT DESTABILIZATION OF THE CODE.”

14. Forms Forever?

15. ADF Faces

16. ADF Faces
• Based on JSF (components)
• Logic separated in Java beans
• Support modularization through bounded
task flows
• Various business services
– ADF Business Components most popular
– Connected to UI through binding layer

17. ADF Business Components
• One option to build the business services
layer of an ADF application
• Most productive, wizard-driven
• Developed only in JDeveloper

18. ADF
Swing

19. ADF Swing
• Based on Java Swing (ADF components)
• Same wide choice of business services
• Not widely used, deprecated
• Only ADF choice for client/server

20. Oracle JET

21. JavaScript Extension Toolkit
• A toolkit, not a framework
– Not everything you need
– UI only
• Collected from various open source
components with Oracle additions
• Open Source. From Oracle. True!
• Needs a lot of JavaScript programming

22. MAF

23. Mobile in General
• You don’t need mobile, unless
– your usecase is 2 minutes or shorter
• You don’t need an app, unless
– it must work offline
– it needs access to device features

24. Mobile Application Framework
• ADF-like development experience
– Task Flows and pages
– Component-based UI
– Business Logic in Java
– Device features easily accessible
• Deploy to iOS, Android, Windows 10
– Builds native applications with SDKs

25. HTMLDB
2004

26. Application
Express 5.0
2015

27. Application Express
• Browser-based development
• Logic in PL/SQL stored procedures
• Data-driven UI
– defined in database tables
• Whole-page rendering gives a few
limitations

28. APEX 5.1
• Early Adopter 1 available “soon”
• Production “calendar year 2016”
• Oracle JET charts
• Interactive Grid
• Master/Detail/Detail

29. The APEX developer

30. Take the test at
www.oratoolwatch.com

31. The Five Ways of Building Oracle
Applications
• Forms
• Application Express (APEX)
• Application Development Framework
(ADF)
• JavaScript Extension Toolkit (JET)
• Mobile Application Framework (MAF)

32. Breaking News!
• Let the user build the
application
• Browser-based like
APEX
• Developer can refine
application with
JavaScript

33. More News!
• Let the user
build mobile
apps
• Browser-based
like APEX
• Part of Mobile
Cloud Service

34. What
should
I use?

35. “And it is
said: Go not
to the elves or
advice, for
they will say
both yes and
no” Frodo, in
Lord of the Rings

36. Complex
apps
Stay
with
Forms
ADF Swing?
ADF
Faces

37. Medium
complexity apps
APEX
ADF
Faces
Forms

38. Simple
Apps
Application
Express
JET

39. Overview
ADF Business Components
ADF Faces
ADF Swing
Application Express
Oracle Forms
JavaScript Extension Toolkit
PL/SQL
Oracle Reports
SQL
Updates at
www.oratoolwatch.com

46. References
• My opinion on tools &
Oracle Tool Watch newsletter &
online tool selection test:
www.oratoolwatch.com
• Monthly Oracle Trends Report (paid)
• Twitter: @oratoolwatch and @stenvesterli
• My blog: www.vesterli.com/blog
• E-mail: sten@vesterli.com