Applications

Oracle Application Framework (OAF) or Application Development Framework (ADF)?

Like our customers, partners or system integrators, you perhaps develop extensions to E-Business Suite (E-BS) applications. Such extensions have traditionally used the same technology stack (Forms or Oracle Applications Framework) that the original E-BS application was built with. This ensured that the extensions are fully compatible with the rest of the installed E-BS applications. With the emergence of the next generation Fusion Middleware technology stack, especially the Application Development Framework, a common question from customers is whether to use OAF (Oracle Applications Framework) or ADF (Application Development Framework) to develop their extensions.

• OAF is a model-view-controller technology stack that is fully oriented towards E-BS application development. The OAF stack is comprised of underlying technologies like UIX and BC4J, that respectively form the core of the view and model layers. It includes Application Object Library (AOL) that provides common E-BS artifacts such as menus, functions, messages, profiles, flexfields and attachments, and common services like function and data security. MDS is used for metadata management. And finally, the OAF design time is integrated with Oracle JDeveloper 10g to provide a comprehensive integrated development platform.

• ADF is a comprehensive, model-view-controller technology stack that is oriented towards general-purpose application development. The ADF stack allows users to select among several choices of UI and business services technologies. The ADF stack is primarily comprised of ADF Faces (which is based on industry standard JSF technology), ADFm (m for model - the data control layer that implements JSR-227) and ADFbc (bc for business components – formerly BC4J). Early releases of ADF contained UIX. Oracle then developed the ADF Faces set of components, based on UIX functionality, but conforming to the JSF standard. The ADF Faces components now replace UIX as the preferred view technology for ADF applications. ADF design time is also integrated with JDeveloper 10g.

A new document available on Metalink here (login required) can help you understand the similarities, differences and overlaps between the OAF and ADF stacks so that you can take an informed decision about the right technology stack for the extensions being built. The document presents also main situations and corresponding recommendations for building your custom extensions to the E-Business Suite.

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