Many people who know what is Oracle APEX know that it is a robust low-code solution for building many applications in record time. One of the main elements of APEX development is understanding the different types of applications it offers. Yes, there are three types of applications in Oracle APEX. These types are Sample Apps, Starter Apps, and Custom Apps. Also, you must know cloud hosting is the preferred choice for Oracle apps rather than shared hosting. There is one significant difference between shared and cloud hosting. This article will delve into the details of these three types of APEX applications. Further, you will learn about these types’ key features and use cases. Please keep reading.

Types of APEX application in Oracle APEX

Following are the types of Oracle application that you can find in the Oracle APEX app gallery:

• Sample Apps
• Starter Apps
• Custom Apps

Sample Apps

What is Sample App? Sample Apps in Oracle APEX are pre-built applications given by Oracle. They showcase different functionalities, features, and best practices of APEX development. These applications act as educational resources for developers. They help the developers learn how to implement different features and components within their projects. Following are the critical characteristics of sample apps.

Key Characteristics

The following are the critical features of Sample apps:

• Educational: Sample Applications are designed to educate developers. They help them learn about APEX capabilities, which include interactive reports, forms, charts, and security features.
• Variety: Oracle offers a wide range of Sample Apps, covering different use cases such as employee directory, project management, sales tracking, and more.
• Customization: Developers can delve into the source code of Sample Apps to understand how particular features are implemented and customize them according to their requirements.

Used Cases:

• Learning: Sample Apps are important learning resources. They are a learning source for both novice and experienced developers, helping them boost their understanding of APEX development.
• Best Practices: By learning Sample Apps, developers can use the best practices for designing and implementing Oracle APEX applications efficiently.
• Time-saving: Rather than starting from scratch, developers can use Sample Apps as templates. They can do this to kick-start their projects and speed up development.
• Inspiration: It is helpful for experienced developers looking for design patterns or ideas for new projects.

Starter Apps

What is Starter Apps? Starter Apps is one of the types of application in Oracle. It gives a base for developing common types of applications in Oracle APEX. It is not like Sample Apps because Starter Apps are more generic. Also, they are meant to be customized on the basis of specific business requirements. They provide a starting point with basic functionality and layout, allowing developers to extend and personalize them to adjust according to their needs.

Key Characteristics

• Basic Functionality: Starter Apps generally comprise essential components. These components include user authentication, navigation menus, and basic CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations.
• Customizable: Developers can modify and expand Starter Apps to integrate additional features and business logic. Moreover, they can style them to align with their project goals.
• Rapid Development: Developers can considerably reduce development time by leveraging starter apps. They start with a pre-built foundation and focus on implementing personalized functionalities.

Use Cases

• Efficiency: Starter Apps streamline the initial development phase by providing a structured framework and predefined elements. As a result, they enable developers to focus on business-specific requirements.
• Flexibility: Developers can adapt them per the evolving project requirements and client preferences. This is because Starter Apps are designed to be customizable.
• Consistency: Using Starter Apps facilitates consistency in application design and promotes development practices across projects within an organization.
• Rapid Prototyping: Useful for quickly building a functional application with minimal effort.

Custom Apps

What is Custom Apps? Custom Apps is one of the Oracle application types in Oracle APEX, which are entirely tailored applications. They are built from scratch to deal with particular business needs and preferences. It is different from Sample Apps and Starter Apps. This is because custom apps provide complete control over application functionality, design, and architecture. Therefore, it allows developers to customize unique solutions to individual use cases. Besides, there are also different type of custom application in Oracle APEX that you can find online.

Key Characteristics

The following are the key features of the Custom apps.

• Tailored Solutions: Custom Apps are designed to fulfill precise business requirements and integrate specific features, workflows, and integrations.
• Extensive Customization: Developers have complete control over every element of Custom Apps, including the data model, UI design, security measures, and third-party integrations.
• Scalability: Custom Apps can scale effortlessly to accommodate growing user bases, data volumes, and changing business needs, thanks to APEX’s powerful architecture and scalability features.

Use Cases:

• Precision: Custom Apps allow organizations to deal with unique business challenges and opportunities. They address these challenges with custom-made solutions. These solutions align closely with their operational objectives and workflows.
• Competitive Advantage: By making Custom Apps, organizations can make themselves unique in the market. They can do this by offering innovative solutions that fulfil niche requirements and deliver premium user experiences.
• Long-term Value: Custom Apps give long-term value by adapting to changing requirements, evolving alongside the business, and leveraging emerging technologies to maintain efficiency and competitiveness.

These were the different types of apps in the Oracle APEX. Each type has its role in the development lifecycle. Understanding their features and strengths will help you choose the best approach for your Oracle APEX projects.