Re: how to link Apache and Oracle?

nowayjose_at_telus.net wrote:

> I would like to learn how to write simple web applications. I plan to
> use Linux and Apache, for database I will naturally use Oracle . But I
> don't know what is the easiest way to link Apache and Oracle. What's
> the easiest thing to learn: PHP, or Perl, or JSP... or something
> completely different? Someone mentioned Cold Fusion, I don't have it,
> but if it is easy I guess I can get it and learn... What is your
> opinion?

PL/SQL web cartridge. There are no cons. Unless you are looking for the complexity of something like a separate app tier, struggling with thin JDBC issues, writing JSP code that craps all over Oracle, etc. etc.

Simply put.

The cartridge is an Apache DSO (dynamic shared object aka DLL). It provides you with connectivity to an Oracle database, and the ability to directly run PL/SQL procedures in the database.

That is it - there are no HTML pages required on the server. No special configs. Just the cartridge.

On the PL/SQL side in the database, you use PL/SQL webdb packages to dynamically create HTML pages. Access cookies (which means you can create session states). Access query strings and data send via PUTs and POSTs.

In this configuration, the Oracle database also serves as the application tier. Which is friggen neat - as this is very tightly coupled to your data in Oracle. And PL/SQL supports objects and classes. This app tier also have in-built job scheduling, messaging and events (AQ and pipes), web browser, e-mailer and a host of other neat stuff. With seamless integration with the rest of your data. Not too mention access to Oracle LDAP and other services.

On the technical side - Oracle's shared server pooling is many times more mature and robust than that of JBOSS or any similar product. Some of the developers I have, had a problem with that statement - until I had them opening a 1000 JSP/JBOSS sessions against my little Oracle R&D database running on a Linux desktop with 256MB of RAM.

What would take a Java programmer a week to develop in JSP, I'm sure I can do in a day or two using PL/SQL instead. Not that I'm that good - simply because It Is That Simple To Do.

Instead of having to learn JSP, J2EE, PHP, Perl, ASP or whatever else, I only need to know PL/SQL (and of course HTML). Enabling me to focus my expertise and energies on a *single* language To Get The Job Done, develop Scaleable Code and most of all, code that Works Correctly Using Oracle.

--
Billy