Demystifying Oracle Visual Builder Cloud service and understanding its architecture

Friends, Recently while exploring the latest oracle cloud features, VBCS caught my attention I was curious to learn more about this technology. I quickly hopped into Oracle Groundbreakers Forum and posted a query to understand and learn about this nascent technology VBCS.

Based on my learning and understanding about VBCS, I'm putting all together in this article which will help you to understand the concept of VBCS and its architecture

What is VBCS? 

VBCS stands for Visual Builder Cloud services, it is a part of PaaS cloud services, similar to Java Cloud services. Using VBCS we can create and host both web and mobile applications in a secure cloud environment. Aimed at users who aren’t professional software developers, VBCS delivers an intuitive and visual development experience with no-coding required for application development.

 Oracle Visual Builder leverages the open-source Oracle JavaScript Extension Toolkit (Oracle JET) to create engaging web and mobile interfaces. The reusable Oracle JET Web Component architecture, built based on the Web Component standard, can be added to the application to further enhance the user experience

Building an application in VBCS is very easy as It provides the simple drag, drop, and design capabilities for business users. All the JET components or extensions that we have developed can be easily dropped into VBCS to extend the capabilities to business users.

Which Programming Language used in VBCS and Should I know JET to build an App in VBCS? 

The development Language you use in VBCS is javascript.  It's not mandatory to learn Oracle JET to develop an application in VBCS, You can get started with VB without previous knowledge of JET.

Features of VBCS

Nothing to Install:  To build an application in Visual builder all you need is a browser, no need to download, or install any software or tool.  You can develop and deploy the application in the VBCS cloud itself. 

Add  Custom Functionality: You can write the advanced custom codes by using JavaScript, HTML 5, and CSS.

Visual Development: There is a feature of Drag & Drop of the components and also to set the properties on the live a design surface and what you see is the same as you get at the time of execution. 

Your Data with Business Objects: Define new business objects to store data related to your application. Replace spreadsheets with multi-user web applications.

REST Services: Pick from the catalog of REST services, or invoke the other REST services with just a few clicks. 

No SOAP services: SOAP services cannot be accessed in VBCS Application

Unified Applications: Create a unified application that consumes services from multiple sources in combination with your own data objects.

Access Anywhere: Published applications are available in the Cloud from any desktop or mobile device.

VBCS Architecture

In an Oracle Visual Builder application, web applications and mobile applications use HTTP and REST to access business objects and VB runtime and application hosting. Business objects can also interact with processes through Processes in Oracle Integration, and they can interact with data under the covers. Business objects can also interact securely with Oracle SaaS. VB runtime and application hosting can access other REST services.

Oracle Visual Builder also provides the following tools for building and publishing applications:

• Data management tools for managing business objects and importing and exporting data
• Publishing tools for staging and publishing your applications
• Advanced tools for configuring role-based security and user access management
• Collaboration tools for sharing application resources between team members
• Robust tools for describing requests and responses to Oracle SaaS REST services in the integrated catalog

Important pointers to remember before adopting VBCS 

VBCS is a client-based application

VBCS no separate tool required to develop VBCS Application

VBCS  is a javascript based application

VBCS can consume only Rest API services

VBCS we can't consume SOAP Services directly. In order to consume SOAP services, we need to create a BI  report and integrate with SaaS through Integration Cloud Service(ICS)