J2EE - Oracle Application Development Framework (ADF)
About
Oracle ADF Faces is:
- an library of JavaServer Faces (JSF) component (based on the JSR 127 specification)
- based on the Project Apache Trinidad
Oracle Application Development Framework (Oracle ADF) is an object-relational framework that can be used to create J2EE business services and expose underlying database objects. This framework provides an abstraction layer that enables application developers to build applications quickly and efficiently.
- Oracle’s Java framework for building enterprise applications
- Visual and declarative approaches to Java EE development
- Uses the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture
- Uses JDeveloper 11g to create applications
- Runtime element included in Oracle Application Server license
- Tooling that is used to create the Fusion Applications
Articles Related
ADF Architecture
- Aim is to minimize the amount of Java code you write (a.k.a., the successor to Forms)
- MVC (Model-View-Controller) approach separates the application into
- A Model layer that handles interactions with data sources
- A View layer that handles the UI,
- and A Controller layer that handles the application flow
- Adds a Business Services layer that provides access to data from various sources
- Model layer then acts as an abstraction layer over Business Services layer
Developer Tools
To get a complete development environment for Oracle ADF please download Oracle JDeveloper 11g - this will include everything you need in order to build and test Oracle ADF applications.
If you prefer to use Eclipse based IDE for your development download Oracle Enterprise Pack for Eclipse that provides support for ADF Faces and ADF Controller development.
Certification
Technically the existing OC4J 10gR3 is not capable of running an ADF 11g application which require Java EE 5 compliant server. You will need to deploy such applications on a WebLogic 10gR3 based Application Server.
Licence/Pricing
The IAS license includes WebLogic Server Basic which can be used to develop ADF application.
Consult the technology price list for the latest license costs. Search for “TopLink and Application Development Framework”. In 2012, the licence cost was 5,800 USD per processor or 120 USD per named user plus.
You have to be licensed for a production deployment of ADF if you are using any of the following features:
- ADF Controller / ADF Task Flows
- ADF Business Components
- ADF Model layer databinding
- ADF Faces Component
- ADF Swing
- ADF UIX User interface components
- ADF Actions / Datapages for Struts
If you deploy applications that use Oracle TopLink and/or Oracle ADF to a third-party application server, you need to license these products separately. A license for Oracle TopLink and Oracle ADF also includes support for Oracle JDeveloper.
Alternatively, a runtime license for Oracle TopLink, Oracle ADF, and Oracle MapViewer is included with all editions of Oracle WebLogic Server.