As I was getting ready to install Oracle 12c, I pondered whether I should try to install APEX. Did a bit more research into what APEX is. Obviously it stands for application express. It is a rapid web app development tool. You need an Oracle database running application express. It is normally installed along with the database.
APEX is data in a bunch of tables plus some PL/SQL code. Since it is web based, you specify a URL which gets translated to an APEX PL/SQL call. Results are sent back in the form of HTML. Each request uses a separate database session.
There are two models that APEX can run under: the three tier model and the two tier model. Here is the three tier model:
- Web browser
- Oracle HTTP server with mod_plsql
- Oracle database with Oracle APEX
The second item could be replaced by an APEX listener. Then there is the two tier model:
- Web browser
- Oracle database with embedded PLSQL gate plus APEX
In APEX, a workspace is where you develop apps. It is a virtual private database. If you are not ready to install APEX on your machine, Oracle does have a
hosted environment. When you first log into APEX, you arrive at your workspace home page. Application Builder is used to put your HTML interface together.
There are some sample objects available. One is Human Resources (HR) and another is Order Entry (OE). I think I will just stick with my Oracle database 12c for now. There will be time to play with APEX in the future.
