Oracle Application Express (APEX) Reviews

My organization's primary use case for Oracle Application Express (APEX) is application development, as it's an Oracle builder software so that you can develop applications on it for the Oracle database.

The application developed on Oracle Application Express (APEX) is used for patient registrations, clinical documentation, and electronic medical records. It's also used for insurance purposes, billing claims, and coding. The finance team also uses the application that's on Oracle Application Express (APEX) for reporting, and the marketing team uses it for the CRM that's been developed by my organization. The nursing and doctor teams also have modules on Oracle Application Express (APEX), so in terms of use cases, it's used by different departments of my organization.

What I like best about Oracle Application Express (APEX) is that it doesn't require hard coding for reporting and building applications. It's a GUI-based application builder that even end-users with little development and language knowledge can develop applications on Oracle Application Express (APEX). The software is also very user-friendly, which I find valuable.

An area for improvement in Oracle Application Express (APEX) is the slow reporting because pulling the report for two months, one year, three years, etc., is very slow. It takes more than thirty minutes to download the report.

There's also room for improvement in integrating Oracle Application Express (APEX) with other vendors, such as open-source solutions through API integration. I believe Oracle is working on this feature, or the issue could be because my organization is using an older version of Oracle Application Express (APEX).

The Oracle database also has to be improved because it's still lacking in some packages, triggers, and indexes.

Process or workflow automation is a feature I'd like to see in the next version of Oracle Application Express (APEX). My organization has a lot of processes because the patient has to click a button to trigger a consultation with the doctor, so if the process is automated, that will make Oracle Application Express (APEX) better for my organization.

I've been using Oracle Application Express (APEX) for eight years, but I'm not a developer. I'm just a front-end support person.

Oracle Application Express (APEX) isn't a reliable solution, at least the current version used in my organization. You must monitor it every day or every two days because it can be down anytime. My organization has a daily backup for it and even sets up emergency servers because the server has downtime for thirty minutes to one hour, or randomly, once or twice a month.

Oracle Application Express (APEX) can't seem to handle the user requests sent to the server, so the server was upgraded, but this could be because it's an old version, and if my organization upgrades to the new version of Oracle Application Express (APEX), maybe it'll sort out the stability issue.

Oracle Application Express (APEX) isn't a scalable solution because my team had to check a workaround to be able to scale it. For example, if the database reaches 80% or if it has a lot of users in one day, there's no scalability option for those instances.

I haven't tried contacting the technical support for Oracle Application Express (APEX) because a different team contacts Oracle support.

Oracle Application Express (APEX) is very easy to deploy. I deployed it on my new branch, and it only took me five to six hours to complete the deployment.

I implemented Oracle Application Express (APEX) for a new branch, so the implementation was in-house.

To my understanding, my organization is using the free version of Oracle Application Express (APEX), but I'm unsure because I haven't checked the pricing or licensing cost for it.

My organization was new to the business when it decided to use Oracle Application Express (APEX). Management realized there was a better solution that was also Oracle-based, without the issues encountered by Oracle Application Express (APEX). Hence, there's a plan to switch to the other Oracle solution next year in the first quarter.

I work in the healthcare sector, and the EMR system I'm using is developed on Oracle Application Express (APEX). My organization also uses Microsoft 365, but just the basic version for exchange purposes.

I'm a user of Oracle Application Express (APEX). I'm using a very old version of Oracle Application Express (APEX), version 4.2.

I'd advise anyone looking into using Oracle Application Express (APEX) to try the new version of the solution rather than the old version because the new version is good. Oracle has updated the forms and reports in the latest version and integrated many APIs for open-source solutions. The new version of Oracle Application Express (APEX) is more advanced than the older version because it now has SQL server compatibility, so I recommend it.

My rating for Oracle Application Express (APEX) is six out of ten, particularly for the current version used in my organization, as it has a lot of issues, but as I've said, it's an old version that needs to be updated to the latest one.

My organization is an Oracle customer.

Oracle Application Express (APEX) is being used in customer companies. My company is a consultant for the solution.

What's most valuable in Oracle Application Express (APEX) is its secure coding functionality, and the solution also has good features.

I've experienced some difficulties when using Oracle Application Express (APEX), particularly when I'm designing forms. For example, when I design a form, I add buttons and controls, but I'm unable to visualize how it'll look unless I run it. You want to design and do things your way, but if you don't have much experience, then you'll find that designing in Oracle Application Express (APEX) is a little complicated. This won't be a problem with anyone more experienced, though.

If I wanted to create my design, for example, a different table format or some background images, it becomes a problem, and this is an area for improvement in Oracle Application Express (APEX). Designing should be easier, even for less experienced users.

An additional feature I'd like to see in Oracle Application Express (APEX) is more plugins, particularly a repository that contains a lot of plugins, so you can go to that repository and download whichever you like and use it or add it to your project. Right now, I create my plugins, so it would be helpful if Oracle Application Express (APEX) has a repository of plugins people can use, download from anywhere in the world, and integrate into projects.

I've worked with Oracle Application Express (APEX) for the new project for the last three months. I  work in DevOps, and my team is currently going through the new release, version 21.1, and focusing on the new BPM and also a lot of other upgrades.

Oracle Application Express (APEX) is stable, but twice I faced JavaScript errors when I used the sample application. JavaScript normally works, but when I do a lot of exhaustive usage of the grid, controls, and sorting, the solution hangs or becomes stuck. It won't do anything unless you refresh the page, so I have to refresh the entire page, then restart it. I have to reset Oracle Application Express (APEX).

Oracle Application Express (APEX) is scalable and you can grow it, but its UI gets a little bit complicated. The solution is comparable to Visual Studio and Eclipse, where you don't need to install anything because you can just use it on a browser, but if you're into enterprise-level applications or higher-level applications, you have to look at the bigger picture, and this means that if Oracle Application Express (APEX) has a studio or proper ID'ing, it can go huge potentially.

I didn't contact technical support that much because, in the last three months, my team handled issues on its own. Right now, there's no need for technical support for Oracle Application Express (APEX), but soon, my team might need to contact support.

The initial setup for Oracle Application Express (APEX) was very straightforward. I didn't find any problems with setting it up.

I worked on other .NET-focused solutions as well as JAVA-focused solutions, and I'd recommend Oracle Application Express (APEX) for small-scale projects. It's okay for the enterprise level or if you want to develop big applications, but it could be very difficult, though I didn't explore the solution much, I feel that for big applications or enterprise applications, it could be a little challenging.

Oracle Application Express (APEX) can be suitable for enterprise-level applications, but that would require a lot of work and a lot of effort to develop and maintain the applications. The solution has some cool features, but some features could be a bit complicated. The debugging is cool because you just click on the page and directly edit a component on it.

I'm not a partner of Oracle Application Express (APEX). I work in a company that uses Oracle products.

As Oracle Application Express (APEX) seems to be a good solution, I'd rate it seven out of ten. It has some issues that, if fixed, would make it better.

We use the solution to build and customize applications for our clients. We use it internally and for external clients.

The solution can build functionalities in a very short time. It is web-based. The tool contains a set of reports for managing databases. We have integrated the product with SAP and MySQL databases. The integration is productive.

The grid reports contain a lot of bugs. The dynamic reports must contain drill-down features. It will be easy to use the reports with such features. Microsoft, SAP, and QlikView provide such functionalities.

I have been using the solution for ten years.

The tool is very stable. I rate the product’s stability a ten out of ten. We had a problem with the database that interrupted our work, but Oracle Application Express did not face any issues. We were concerned that the application would crash, but it didn’t happen. The tool is quite reliable.

I rate the product’s scalability a ten out of ten. All the new versions maintain the tool's compatibility and have all the functionalities present in the previous version. We have ten customers. Our customers are small, medium, and enterprise-level businesses.

The support is very good. The team provides quick responses and resolves our issues.

Positive

It is very easy to install the tool. I rate the ease of setup a ten out of ten. The product can be deployed on Oracle’s cloud and on-premises. The deployment can be done within eight hours. To deploy the tool, we install the database object, forms, and reports. The deployment can be long or short, depending on the number of objects. We cannot install the tool without an Oracle Database license.

If the product is installed on the cloud, the support is included in the license we pay. I rate the pricing an eight out of ten. The tool is free with the Oracle Database license. We cannot use it without the Oracle Database license.

I am an integrator. People who want to use the tool must use structured programming. The code must be structured and disciplined. I recommend the tool to others. Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

We use the product for customizing applications for our organization. We use it for legal affairs, customized reporting, and KPIs.

The product is easy to use. It accelerates development, and it is powerful. The report gives all the insights we need within a few steps.

The product must improve the transaction features. It is difficult to integrate the solution into other databases. It is a data-driven tool. It can only be deployed on Oracle Database.

I have been using the solution for five years.

The tool is very stable. We have been using some applications for five years without any serious issues. The tool is stable even as the data grows.

The tool is scalable. We have around 40 users in the organization. Sometimes, the number of users might reach 60, depending on the modules.

The community is very helpful. We do not raise many tickets to Oracle because the community solves most issues.

The initial setup is very straightforward.

The deployment took us one to two hours. If you already have Oracle installed, it will save you time. We have to run some files related to the product and store them in Oracle Database. Then, we can deploy and configure it with the application setup. We can use open-source platforms like Apache Tomcat or GlassFish. We need a solution architect and two developers for deployment and maintenance.

The product is completely free of cost. We have to pay for Oracle Database. Some people use Oracle Database Express Edition, which is free. They run the transactions through APIs.

The solution is directly connected with Oracle Database. Without Oracle Database, we can't develop it. I fully recommend the solution to users who have Oracle Database. We can use the solution for free if we have access to Oracle Database. It also covers some enterprise features. Overall, I rate the product a nine out of ten.

I would call them small supporting applications, so we use them when we need a web UI for certain users to show data from our environment, mainly in operations.

One of the most valuable features is the ability to build very fast data-driven UIs. Also, those UIs are web-based and don't require any deployment on the user side. We try to avoid complex add-ons or additions, so we stick to the standard features that APEX provides. We also use it for some workflows and to present data out of services or databases.

I think version control can be improved, meaning the ability to track what has changed from the previous version of the application and to see it in standard tools like the code repository. I know in the last versions they were working on it, but I haven't seen it yet. 

The product deployment could be easier. 

In the past, I've thought about dockerization, or the ability to deliver the application as a docker container, and establish the production environment in a job. 

What I would love to see is more integration. I would like to see easier integration into active directory authentication. Also, maybe integration of JavaScript frameworks would resolve some issues.

We have been using APEX for at least eight to ten years.

The solution is highly stable and we have had no issues with it. On a scale of one to five, where one is highly stable and five is not, I would rate it as a one. 

The scalability could be improved. It depends on the use cases. We will never use this solution for a productive environment with 500 to 1000 users because this would be a bit difficult in my opinion. I would say that the scalability for small applications is good, but the scalability for big applications is bad.

About 100 to 150 people are currently using the solution at my company.
We are continuously building small applications, but we don't plan to use this solution to make big applications. It's very use case driven. When we get a use case that is not big and it's easy to create a web-based application, then we use this solution. So we may extend our use of the solution, but we do not plan to migrate anything directly to it.

On a scale of one to five, where one is easy and five is complicated, I would rate the initial setup as a four.

We always lose a lot of time with our outsourcing partner because we don't host the service on our own. This takes some time, so to create the concept for us between the different environments and to do implement it, I would say it takes a minimum of five days.

When you have a licensed database in an Oracle environment, APEX is free.

I would tell those considering this tool that if you have an Oracle environment, it's worth taking a look at. If you don't have an Oracle environment in place, it's the wrong tool. Also, I would tell them to stick to the standard functionalities of APEX and not try to extend it with custom code. We learned that if you stick to the standards the application gives you, it's easy to maintain and it's easy to transfer from one developer to another. If you start to create custom code in hidden areas, it's very hard for the next developer to find the code.

I would rate this solution as an eight out of ten.

Oracle Application Express (APEX) can be used for anything which requires quick creation of a user interface with user interaction with a database. Sometimes it's used more for reporting, but in many cases, it's for interactive reporting or interactions with the tool to record dates in the database. For example, it can be used for internal use within the company for the testing team to conveniently add test cases. Additionally, it can be used for comprehensive reporting for the financial teams, they can perform some work related to revenue recognition. 

I didn't work with big projects exposed to the public, the use cases were mostly internal platform projects.

The most valuable features of Oracle Application Express (APEX) are the ease and speed of development. Instead of engaging a large team of middleware, front-end, and database engineers, we can have professional look at the front end and have the user interface up and running in a matter of days. However, if you want to go far and implement very custom features, it doesn't require a lot of knowledge of front-end development, such as HTML, JavaScript, or other aspects.

I have been using Oracle Application Express (APEX) for approximately 10 years.

The stability of Oracle Application Express (APEX) is 100 percent. It is highly stable.

Oracle Application Express (APEX) is highly scalable and can serve up to a required number of users. However, I do not have experience with serving more than approximately100 users. I'm always advertising this tool as being scalable. Bring in the shop.oracle.com as an example, because that site is running on Oracle Application Express (APEX), and you can imagine it can serve up to an unlimited number of users. With good hardware behind the solution, it's scalable, but since I don't have direct experience, I'm pretty sure it's scalable to any possible level. My confidence level in that is 90 percent scalable.

I have not had the need to contact technical support because of the number of resources and amount of information available with only a couple of mouse clicks, such as documentation, Q&A, and FAQ, they have a lot of material available. I know that browsing those websites people sometimes face some issues with not having their issue resolved, but this has not been my experience.

Oracle Application Express (APEX) comes with Oracle. The Oracle price itself. I do not know the exact cost. Oracle is flexible on its price. If you overspend on your hardware, then I don't think you will overpay. I heard that Oracle is more expensive than other databases, but when you consider Oracle is the best traditional relational database out there. You get what you pay for.

I rate Oracle Application Express (APEX) a nine out of ten.

Our business applications include healthcare, administrative, and planning tools. The environment consists of on-premise databases with an Oracle ORDS Tomcat stack and other JavaScript utilities on top of Linux Virtual Machines. There are legacy solutions, such as Oracle 11 with APEX 5.1 and Oracle 19 with APEX 20. These solutions have proven to be quite stable, but you need to do proper planning and profiling of heavy database transactions for more significant queries and heavy transaction processing.

Oracle APEX has proven to be a solid "low-code" solution that works quite well for simple and complex scenarios of data-intensive applications. Integrating the tool with the robust underlying Oracle Database allows a team to quickly create and deploy functionality iteratively. Running the tool on top of Linux-based virtual machines can slow things down, but the work gets done, and using the Oracle XE editions for some clients has been an adequate solution for POCs or even small non-critical production apps.

Oracle APEX's reporting features are simple yet powerful. The ability to quickly create CRUD screens has simplified many RAD discovery processes, while the APEX environment allows the product owners and dev teams to quickly understand the complex solutions and employ usage statistics to identify areas requiring improvement. The option to add external JavaScript tools in screen development enables the development of complicated mobile or web usage scenarios in rare cases where the APEX UX  is not enough.

Oracle should implement vertical and horizontal data segmentation in APEX's security framework, so Dev teams don't need to do any heavy lifting in the APEX screens. This is a common issue in enterprise apps. It would be nice to seamlessly integrate Git repositories into the development process since the current solution can result in overlapping work or an eventual overwrite. The provided example apps are great, but they could benefit from some added documentation in the "explanation screens".

I've been using Oracle APEX since 2006.

Oracle Apex is stable.

Oracle Apex scales well, but you need a good admin who knows how to work with DBA and Linux.

Oracle support has room for improvement.

Neutral

Setting up APEX requires Oracle and Linux admin experience.

We implemented APEX with an in-house team.

APEX is free, but Oracle Database is not.

I rate Oracle APEX eight out of 10. It's a good tool that needs more promotion, particularly the cloud solution.

I have it installed in my computer, and I'm trying to build some GL applications for independent consulting just to track expenses. 

APEX is putting a lot of money into the new versions and giving new features to people like coding and building applications. I believe they're on version 21 now. I worked on their product a lot, and I did a mini project to implement Oracle applications. I have done many projects in three continents, like Africa, Europe, and now in North America.

You don't have to know a lot of PL because it's built on PL/SQL. You don't need developers. You only need to design a good application that resolves a problem, or many problems, for companies and you're ready to go. When you design it, you just need to understand how the tools work, and it's almost drag and drop. APEX does all of the coding in the backend. You don't have to know how to code PL/SQL or CSS or HTML.

A lot of times I ask my clients why they don't use APEX. They have the Oracle database and it's free, so why don't they use it to build this application? They go to Grails or inside development with many developers. I never understood why they couldn't just use APEX to build their own applications. The solution is free, and you're building something inside the house and you have the people that can design your application. They use other technologies on top of Oracle.

Maybe some people go with other technologies because they are more familiar with them. Oracle probably needs more communication about APEX and to show people that they have something free on their hands and that they need to give it a chance.

Maybe there are other technologies that offer what APEX cannot. Oracle is working hard on APEX to put it more on the cloud, so it is more useful for people that know how to code.

APEX is a stable solution.

I don't see it as complex, but not many people have that kind of skill.

The solution is free.

I would rate this solution 7 out of 10. 

The only advice I can give is to just try it and give it a chance.