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Oracle APEX
Oracle APEX development and consulting in the UAE
Secure, data-driven enterprise applications built rapidly on Oracle APEX, from new apps and dashboards to Oracle Forms modernisation, upgrades and long-term support.
About Oracle APEX
What is Oracle APEX?
Oracle APEX (Application Express) is Oracle’s low-code platform for building web applications on top of the Oracle Database. It runs inside the database, so applications work directly with your data, using SQL and PL/SQL for logic. Developers build responsive, secure apps through a browser-based environment with ready-made components such as interactive reports, forms, charts, calendars, maps and workflows, writing code only where needed.
APEX is included with Oracle Database at no additional licence cost, and is available on-premises, on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, including the APEX Application Development service and Autonomous Database. Organisations around the world use APEX for internal business systems, reporting portals, customer self-service and modernising older Oracle applications.
What ITConnect does
New APEX applications
Business systems, portals and dashboards
Oracle Forms modernisation
Migrating legacy Forms applications to APEX
APEX upgrades
Moving older APEX versions to current releases
UI/UX improvement
Modern, responsive interfaces using Universal Theme
Integration
REST APIs, ERP, payment and external services
Support and maintenance
Fixes, enhancements and performance tuning
What you can build with APEX
Enterprise business applications
Procurement, HR, asset, contract and case management systems.
Reporting and analytics portals
Interactive reports, dashboards and drill-downs on live data.
Customer and supplier portals
Secure self-service for registrations, applications, tracking and documents.
Workflow and approval systems
Multi-step approvals with notifications and audit trails.
Data entry and validation apps
Replacing spreadsheets with controlled, validated data capture.
Mobile-friendly field apps
Responsive apps and progressive web apps for staff on the move.
Why organisations choose Oracle APEX
Speed
Low-code components let experienced developers deliver apps far faster than traditional development.
Data close to the app
Running in the database means strong performance for data-heavy applications.
Security
Built-in authentication options, authorisation schemes, session protection and defences against common web attacks.
Scalability
Proven with large user bases and data volumes.
Cost efficiency
No extra licence when you already own Oracle Database.
Modern UI
Responsive Universal Theme for desktop and mobile, with right-to-left support for Arabic.
Modernising Oracle Forms with APEX
Many UAE organisations still run critical systems on Oracle Forms, an older client-server technology that is increasingly hard to support, depends on specific runtime environments and offers a dated user experience. APEX is a natural modernisation path because it uses the same database, SQL and PL/SQL logic. We analyse your Forms applications, reuse business logic where possible, redesign screens for modern web use, migrate in phases and run old and new side by side until users are confident. The result is a browser-based, mobile-friendly system without rewriting your data layer.
Is Oracle APEX right for you?
Good fit if…
- Your data is in Oracle Database
- You need data-heavy internal apps quickly
- You’re modernising Oracle Forms
- You need strong security and auditability
Consider alternatives if…
- You don’t use Oracle and don’t plan to
- You’re building a consumer app with complex custom UX
- Your team is standardised on Microsoft Power Platform
Alternatives: Low-Code Development (Power Apps) · Custom Software
How an Oracle APEX application is built
At a high level, building an APEX app looks like this: create a workspace linked to a database schema; use the App Builder to create an application, often starting from existing tables or a spreadsheet; add pages such as interactive reports, forms, charts and dashboards; define navigation and theme; add business logic in SQL and PL/SQL through processes, validations and dynamic actions; set up authentication and authorisation; and deploy to test and production environments. Oracle provides free learning resources, and our developers apply best practices for structure, security, performance and maintainability on top.
Building secure APEX applications
APEX includes strong built-in protections, but secure applications still depend on good development practice. We use appropriate authentication, such as Oracle accounts, LDAP or Active Directory, single sign-on or social login; role-based authorisation schemes on pages, regions and buttons; session state protection; bind variables to prevent SQL injection; proper escaping to prevent cross-site scripting; and audit columns and logs for sensitive data. We also review APEX instance settings and keep APEX and ORDS updated. See VAPT
Performance tuning
Because APEX runs in the database, performance depends heavily on SQL quality and data design. We tune slow reports and queries, add appropriate indexes, use efficient pagination and caching, and monitor page performance. Many sluggish APEX applications become fast with targeted database and query optimisation, without rewriting the app.
Integrating APEX with other systems
APEX applications often need data from or actions in other systems. Using REST data sources, web credentials and PL/SQL APIs, we connect APEX with ERP systems, payment gateways, email and SMS services, document storage and external APIs. Oracle REST Data Services (ORDS) can also expose your database as secure REST APIs for mobile apps and partners.
Who uses Oracle APEX with us
Government and semi-government entities, utilities and logistics companies, healthcare and education organisations, financial services firms, and any organisation with significant Oracle Database investments and internal systems to modernise.
Choosing an Oracle APEX partner
Ask about experience with your APEX version and database, Oracle Forms migrations, security practices, performance tuning and integrations. Request examples of APEX applications they’ve delivered and how they document and support them.
How we work
1
Discovery
Understand users, data, processes and any existing Oracle Forms or APEX apps.
2
Data model review
Confirm tables, relationships and data quality, adding structures where needed.
3
Prototype
APEX makes it quick to show working screens early; users react to real pages, not just designs.
4
Build iteratively
Features delivered in short cycles with regular demos.
5
Test
Functional, security and performance testing.
6
Deploy
Controlled deployment to test and production with version control.
7
Support
Fixes, enhancements and upgrades.
Not sure what to build first?
Book a free discovery call. We’ll help you decide what to build, buy or leave out.
APEX upgrades
Oracle releases new APEX versions regularly, bringing new components, security improvements and features. Older APEX versions eventually lose support and may not work with newer databases or browsers. We assess your current applications, test them on the new version in a separate environment, fix compatibility issues, refresh the theme where useful, and upgrade production with minimal downtime.
APEX for Arabic and bilingual users
APEX supports translated applications and right-to-left layouts, which is important for UAE organisations serving Arabic and English users. We design bilingual APEX apps with proper text direction, translated labels and messages, and formats for dates and numbers that suit local users.
Low-code with professional discipline
APEX is low-code, but enterprise applications still need professional practices: consistent naming, reusable components, version control of application exports and database scripts, separate development, test and production environments, code reviews of PL/SQL, and documentation. These practices make APEX applications maintainable for years and easy for other developers to support.
Case study
A UAE government-related entity replaced a legacy Oracle Forms system with a modern APEX application featuring role-based dashboards and mobile access.
Solutions and industries
Legacy System Modernization
Replacing old, risky systems without disrupting the business.
Government
Secure, Arabic-first digital services for government and its suppliers.
Oracle APEX questions, answered
What is Oracle APEX?
Oracle’s low-code platform for building secure web applications directly on the Oracle Database.
Is Oracle APEX free?
APEX is included with Oracle Database licences at no extra cost; cloud services have their own terms.
Can APEX apps work on mobile?
Yes. APEX apps are responsive and can work as progressive web apps.
Can you migrate Oracle Forms to APEX?
Yes, in phases, reusing database logic where possible.
Can you upgrade our old APEX version?
Yes. We test and upgrade applications to current APEX releases.
Does APEX support Arabic?
Yes, including right-to-left layouts and translation features.
Do you provide Oracle APEX developers for our team?
Yes, through dedicated developers or staff augmentation.
Can APEX connect to non-Oracle systems?
Yes, through REST APIs and other integration methods.
Can you host our APEX applications?
Yes, on-premises, on Oracle Cloud or other suitable infrastructure.
How long does an APEX application take to build?
Simple apps can take a few weeks; larger systems or Forms migrations take several months.
Do you support APEX applications built by others?
Yes. We review, document and stabilise them, then provide ongoing support.
Can APEX handle many users?
Yes. APEX scales well with proper database design and infrastructure.