![](https://csdnimg.cn/release/download_crawler_static/10481681/bg12.jpg)
■ IntroduCtIon
xxi
The APEX evolution during this time was done against a backdrop of activity in two completely different
development worlds that had a profound impact on APEX development.
• Database. The database world for APEX is controlled by Oracle. This world has
been characterized by steady progress in terms of practical, reliable, and useful new
features. The APEX team has developed the database side of APEX in the context of
the rock solid Oracle database environment. The SQL and PL/SQL environments are
mature, stable, and fast; this foundation is a major reason for the APEX’s stability on
the server-side backend.
• Web. The web world for APEX is controlled by the World Wide Web Consortium
(W3C) and the commercial browser manufacturers. This world, due to the open
source nature of the W3C, was in a chaotic state during the time that APEX
was undergoing its ongoing evolution. For example, in 2004 the W3C released
the Candidate Recommendation for CSS 2.1; then in 2004 W3C demoted the
recommendation back to working draft. CSS 2.1 was re-promoted back to Candidate
Recommendation in 2007. The uncertainty that surrounded the web standards made
it exceedingly difficult for commercial developers like the APEX team and browser
manufacturers to develop products for the web.
After the release of APEX 4.2 in 2012, the APEX development team embarked on an ambitious
development effort to improve the APEX development tool itself. The result was APEX 5.0, which was
released in 2015 after a long and difficult development project. Much of the new code was on the web side
of the equation; coding for the web and all of the competing browsers was a daunting task, especially in the
light of keeping the tool’s productive declarative environment intact; thus the multiyear wait for APEX 5.0.
APEX 5.1 followed in 2016. This release added in some of the features that were promised for APEX 5.0
but were dropped due to their impact on the schedule. Going forward, I expect that the new version release
cycle will return to an annual event keeping APEX in step with new web and database features that will
undoubtedly be released in parallel with APEX.
For a lighter overview of APEX’s history, I would like to mention Scott Spendolini’s light hearted
presentation, “APEX Adolescence,” that is available on SlideShare.net at http://www.slideshare.net/
sspendol/apex-adolescence?qid=0f5b7637-5c0c-4a7a-946f-0c08855382cf&v=&b=&from_search=13. The
slides, which were presented at the Oracle Development Tools User Group (ODTUG) Kscope11 conference,
compare APEX’s growth to a person’s childhood development. The slides follow APEX from conception to
adolescence. I interviewed Scott at ODTUG Kscope14 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKD6mfI4Vfg)
and asked where APEX was at the time in terms of childhood development. The answer? APEX 4.2 had
grown into a young adult who had just graduated from college. I suspect that Scott would now consider
APEX 5.1 to be a mature and experienced working professional.
Where Is APEX Now?
APEX 5.1 is a mature, reliable, stable, and seriously practical web development framework. APEX is a tool
that must be on the short list of tools to be evaluated for large, web-based applications that work with an
Oracle database and are integrated with the cloud and other enterprise applications.
APEX’s strength has been confirmed by Oracle itself. Oracle chose APEX for its shop.oracle.com site,
where it sells its products online. This application is the frontend for a suite of very large Oracle E-Business
suite applications. As you can see in Figure2, it has been professionally branded. This proves that APEX
succeeds in both the front- and backend coding areas.