Leaving outdated technologies behind: the migration from Oracle Forms to APEX
Oracle Forms is a technology that was developed in the 1980s and has enabled reliable application development for many companies. However, many companies are now turning away from Oracle Forms because it no longer fulfils the requirements of a modern technology. We took a closer look and discovered the following problems:
- Maintenance options are severely limited, which increases the risk for the company.
- There is also a lack of qualified developers - the next generation of developers is no longer learning Oracle Forms and the generation that has learnt Oracle Forms is likely to retire completely in the next five years. It can therefore be assumed that Forms expertise will die out in the near future.
- In addition, Oracle Forms 12c is only compatible with older versions of the Oracle database (up to 12c), which has already reached its end of life in July 2022 and will therefore no longer be supported by the manufacturer. Regular support for Oracle Forms 12c will expire in December 2026 and extended support will also expire in December 2027.
- The technology offers an inadequate user experience as it does not support modern interfaces or responsive designs for mobile devices.
- In addition, compatibility with modern browsers is limited, which not only has a negative impact on the user experience, but also opens up potential security vulnerabilities if new browser settings are not taken into account.
What can a company using Oracle Forms do now? We recommend migrating the applications from Oracle Forms to Oracle Application Express (APEX).
Advantages of APEX as a modern development platform
APEX is the choice of our experts when it comes to migrating from Oracle Forms for the following reasons:
Oracle APEX is a modern development platform that is regularly supplied with updates, which means it always remains future-proof. It is also particularly easy to learn, which makes new developers productive quickly.
Thanks to a modern user interface and responsive design, APEX offers a user-friendly experience on various end devices.
The platform is fully compatible with current browsers and utilises PL/SQL and the latest version of the Oracle database, making it both powerful and flexible for web application development.
Supported by the manufacturer and learnt by more and more developers
​Oracle APEX offers decisive advantages for a migration from Oracle Forms. The platform receives updates twice a year and offers full support from Oracle, which guarantees long-term security and continuous further development. APEX is also fully compatible with the same database schemas that Oracle Forms works with, which simplifies migration and enables seamless integration.
Compared to Forms, APEX offers a modern, more intuitive design and is browser-based, which means it is automatically responsive and works optimally on different end devices. APEX also enables functions that cannot be realised with Oracle Forms, such as advanced data visualisations and interactive dashboards.
The cloud-based architecture of APEX supports flexible, mobile working and ensures that applications are accessible anytime, anywhere. These advantages make APEX the ideal choice for a future-proof migration from Oracle Forms.
​Successfully migrating from Oracle Forms to Oracle APEX with DataSense
Experience
Our customers can trust us to migrate from Oracle Forms to APEX because we follow a proven, structured approach based on a thorough as-is and to-be analysis. With many years of experience working with APEX and numerous successfully implemented projects for companies and authorities from various industries, we are well equipped to provide our customers with customised solutions.
Method
We start with a detailed analysis of the existing application to decide which parts are still in use and which are no longer relevant. The migration starts with the simpler parts of the Forms app so that we can proceed gradually and with minimal risk. Successful first steps allow us to then migrate larger, more complex components.
Consultancy
During migration, we advise our customers not only on the technical implementation, but also on improving usability and design aspects. We recommend that the functionality is not simply taken over from Forms, but optimised and made more user-friendly. Our numerous migration successes are proof of our expertise and the satisfaction of our customers.
