Evaluating Whether to Convert or Build an Application from Scratch

Thanks to how quickly you can build a new application with in Oracle Application Express, it may seem quicker to build an application from scratch rather than loading the source application definitions into an Oracle Application Express conversion project and then generating an initial design.

When compared with developing an application from scratch, converting an existing application provides many benefits. Once the source files for the original application are loaded into the Oracle Application Express project, all developers can review the pertinent information without needing to refer back to Oracle Forms or Microsoft Access. There is no need for developers to become familiar with the source tool development environment.

Having the forms, reports, and queries loaded into a conversion project also provides an easy way to review the functionality and application logic provided in the old application. Even if these components are not used to generate an Oracle Application Express application, you can view, copy, and reuse the underlying SQL.

When converting from Oracle Forms another major benefit is the ability to track the conversion to ensure you fully implement all the business logic within the new application. By utilizing annotations within the conversion project, you can assign priorities, resources, and add notes or tags to any component. Completion progress can also be tracked to provide low-level project management capabilities.