Primary Note for Oracle Application Express (APEX) Installation (Doc ID 1086415.1)

Last updated on MARCH 14, 2024

Applies to:

Details

This Note answers the most frequently asked questions about Oracle Application Express (APEX) installations. In addition to the Support Notes below, you can find supplementary information here:

Discussion Forum
Certification and <Note 1344948.1>  Application Express (APEX) Database and Web Server Certification Reference
Documentation, White Papers and Demos

Documentation and downloads for earlier releases of Application Express (formerly known as HTML DB) can be found here.

Audience

The information contained in this targets product administrators and installers. This information can be used when planning future upgrades and installations.

Actions

Getting Started

If you are initially installing Application Express, the best place to begin is with the Installation Guide and Release Notes. The most current version of Application Express can be found at https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/apex/overview/index.html by clicking on the "Documentation and Tutorials" link. 

Check Your Version

To identify the steps you will use to maintain your Application Express (APEX) installation, you should begin with identifying the version of the database, determine whether the APEX prerequisites are present and to determine whether a version of APEX already exists in the database. To do this run the following query in SQLPLUS as SYS or SYSTEM:

• For HTML DB / APEX versions 1.5 - 3.2.1, the database version must be 9.2.0.3 or higher. The database must be 10.2.0.3 or higher for APEX versions 4.0 and above. The 11.x and 12.x versions of the database automatically installs Application Express by default.  
• Oracle Text and Oracle XML DB must be installed and valid for APEX versions 1.5 through 4.1. For 4.2 and above, only XML DB is required.
• If a version of Application Express already exists, the database portion of the installation will be treated as an upgrade.

Choose Your Web Server

APEX requires a web server with PL/SQL Gateway / mod_plsql support. If you have an existing Oracle Application Server or Oracle HTTP Server, then this HTTP Server may be used. If a web server is needed, the currently available for download are:

• The 10x database versions are supplied on the database Companion CD, or the 10.1.x Oracle Application Server. Mod_plsql support is required for the Oracle HTTP Server and APEX. 
• The 11.x and 12.1 versions of the database supply a Fusion Middleware WebTier Oracle HTTP Server from the database download pages on Oracle Technology Network. The Oracle HTTP Server supplied with Fusion Middleware is also supported. Later versions include Weblogic for use with APEX as long as it is installed on the database server. See: <Note 1945619.1> - Future Direction for Application Express (APEX) and the Oracle HTTP Server (OHS) / Mod_plsql.
• The Embedded PL/SQL Gateway may be used for the 11.x database. This web server is embedded in the database.
• The APEX Listener / Oracle Rest Data Services, which can be used with OC4J, WebLogic, Glassfish and Apache Tomcat (with 2.0.5 and above) web servers for APEX 3.2.1 and higher. The available web servers depend on the APEX Listener / ORDS version. See <Note 1536052.1> Oracle REST Data Services (ORDS) / APEX Listener General FAQ and <Note 1344948.1> Application Express (APEX) Database and Web Server Certification Reference for additional details.

For more information on current web server support see the Oracle Lifetime Support Policy - Oracle Fusion Middleware document.

FAQ

What are the requirements for installing APEX?

The APEX product requires a database in which to install the APEX database packages, procedures, functions, tables, etc. and a web server which is used to call the APEX application from a browser.

• APEX is currently supported on on 10.2 and higher. The 11.x version of the database automatically installs Application Express by default.
• Currently supported web servers are:
  Oracle HTTP Server supplied with the database. 10g DB versions are supplied on the Companion CD. 11g versions are supplied with the database media.
  Oracle Application Server versions 10.1.x and higher.
  The Embeded PL/SQL Gateway (EPG).
  The APEX Listener / Oracle REST Data Services with WebLogic Server, Glassfish, OC4J or Apache Tomcat.

I have configured APEX to use the Embeded PL/SQL Gateway (EPG)?  Is it possible to configure an Oracle HTTP Server to run against the same EPG APEX?

Yes, it is possible to configure more than one web server to run against the same database containing APEX.

Is it possible to use the EPG on one database to run APEX on another database?

This is not possible due to a software restriction of the EPG.

Is it possible to use an Oracle HTTP Server that is already configured and running APEX on one database instance to run APEX on a new database instance?

By default, APEX installs using the /i/ directory to define the images, css, javascript and other HTTP Server components used to render the APEX pages. Because it is not possible to define a different version of the /i/ directory for each APEX DAD, both APEX installations must be of the same version so that they can use the same /i/ directory. For different versions of APEX using the same HTTP Server, you must use different image directories for each version. See <Note 352383.1> How to Configure Two APEX / HTMLDB Instances Through One HTTP Server Using Separate Image Directories: for information on this configuration.

Is it possible to to install and run multiple instances of APEX (same or different version) in the same database?

This is not possible. Though multiple APEX schemas may exist in the database, only one version of APEX can be active. APEX relies on the use of PUBLIC and SYS synonyms, and these synonyms can only point to one APEX schema at a time.
.

Is it possible to to install and run APEX on 10g databases with Embeded PL/SQL Gateway (EPG)?

While this is possible, this combination is not supported by Oracle Support. See <Note 422680.1> Is It Possible to Use an Apex 3.x Installation on 10g Databases with Embeded PL/SQL Gateway? for details. Support for this combination can be found on the OTN forums.

Known Problems

The APEX installation guides indicate that the databases not associated with the install should be shut down.

This step is not necessary, and is documented in <Bug 8851768> INSTALLATION GUIDE IMPLIES OTHER DATABASES SHOULD BE DOWN DURING INSTALLATION

The installation guides for APEX 3.2 and below do not reflect the commands and file locations for the Fusion Middleware Oracle HTTP Server (OHS) supplied on OTN for the 11.2 database.  Due to the timing of the 11.2 database release, the configuration information associated with the Web Tier OHS could not be included in the 3.2.1 APEX documentation. <Note 1070034.1> APEX Installation Guide Is Missing Configuration Information for Fusion Middleware 11.1.1 OHS: contains information on configuring APEX with the  Oracle Fusion Middleware Web Tier Utilities 11g (11.1.1.2.0) software.

Troubleshooting

<Note 1254932.1> APEX Installation Verification Script 

Other References

<Note 389839.1> DBA_REGISTRY Shows Oracle Application Express 
<Note 304645.1>  Troubleshooting MOD_PLSQL DAD issues during Installation of APEX / HTMLDB
<Note 283234.1>  Receiving Failed to Login to APEX / HTMLDB Page - You Don't Have Permission to Access /pls/apex
<Note 457621.1> How to Configure Oracle Application Express (APEX) & the Embedded PL/SQL Gateway (EPG) in an 11G DB External
<Note 471983.1> How to find whether DAD is configured in 11g database?
<Note 469342.1> ORA-22288 When Running apex_epg_config.sql or apxldimg.sql External
<Note 604859.1> Apex Login Problem Using Embedded Pl/Sql Gateway External
<Note 370048.1> Login Page Authorization Required External
<Note 413525.1> Unable to Connect to APEX: ORA-12537
<Note 579367.1> Cannot Logon as APEX Administrator Using Internet Explorer - Firefox Works
<Note 566733.1> Executing UTL_HTTP Gives ORA-24247: Network Access Denied by Access Control External
<Note 361581.1> How to Change the ADMIN User Password for the Workspace INTERNAL
<Note 311739.1> APEX / Html DB ''Help'' Link: ''The Page Cannot Be Found''
<Note 565952.1> Troubleshooting: The XDB Login Appears When Running APEX with the 11g Enterprise PL/SQL Gateway (EPG)
<Note 361581.1> How to Change the ADMIN User Password for the Workspace INTERNAL
<Note 555856.1> Installation of APEX Fails When PL/SQL Web Toolkit not Available in DB

Contacts

My Oracle Support provides customers with access to over a million knowledge articles and a vibrant support community of peers and Oracle experts.