Oracle APEX 18: A Look at the Powerful Low-Code Development Platform

Oracle Application Express (APEX) is a low-code development platform renowned for rapidly building scalable, secure, and visually appealing web applications using SQL and PL/SQL. Version 18, in particular, introduced a compelling array of features to enhance user experience and streamline the development process. Let’s explore some of APEX 18’s highlights.

Key Features of Oracle APEX 18

• Revamped Application Creation: APEX 18 introduced a brand-new wizard for creating applications, significantly simplifying and modernizing the process. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting with APEX, the intuitive interface guides you through building your application with ease.
• Web Source Modules: Integrating with RESTful services is made remarkably simple with Web Source Modules. These modules provide a declarative way to connect to external data sources, treat REST API responses as table-like structures, and seamlessly incorporate them into your applications.
• Enhanced User Interface (UI): APEX 18 received a boost in UI design by including new themes and components, delivering a fresh, modern look to applications. This brings your web applications up-to-date with contemporary user experience standards.
• Application Blueprints: The ability to save ‘blueprints’ of your APEX applications enables you to reuse these blueprints to jumpstart new projects. This saves considerable time and effort by establishing a solid foundation for similar applications.
• Progressive Web Apps (PWAs): Support for Progressive Web Applications was added in APEX 18. This allows your APEX applications to offer a more app-like experience, including offline functionality and installability on user devices.

Why Choose Oracle APEX 18

Here are the primary reasons why APEX 18 is a valuable tool:

• Rapid Development: The low-code environment and intuitive wizards mean you can build enterprise-grade web applications quickly.
• Scalability and Performance: APEX applications are built on top of the robust Oracle Database, ensuring they can handle high volumes of data and users.
• Security: Built-in features safeguard your APEX applications and data against common vulnerabilities.
• Cost-effectiveness: As part of the Oracle Database, no additional licensing costs are usually involved with using APEX.

Getting Started with Oracle APEX 18

One of the great things about APEX is its accessibility. Here’s how you can get your hands on it:

• Oracle APEX on Oracle Cloud: The easiest way to start is through Oracle’s Always Free cloud services (https://www.oracle.com/cloud/free/).
• On-premises Installation: You can download APEX 18 from the Oracle website (https://www.oracle.com/tools/downloads/apex-v181-downloads.html) and install it on your Oracle Database environment.

In Conclusion

• Oracle APEX 18 provides a robust, flexible, and secure foundation for rapidly developing web applications tailored to your business needs. If you’re looking to create applications faster without compromising quality or security, it’s well worth considering.