Full-stack vendor Oracle is developing ways to allow non-programmers to develop add-ons for the company's software.
Project Visual Code, revealed at Oracle Open World this week, allows non-programmers to build mobile and desktop programs, according to Oracle executive chairman and chief technology officer Larry Ellison, who described it as the ideal tool for extending Oracle's SaaS applications.
It includes a browser-based visual development environment, a visual design system, support for reusable UI components, access to any REST-based service, and a marketplace for UI components and complete applications.
This may help reduce the application backlog within IT departments, as it increases the number and range of tasks that can be left to business users.
{loadposition stephen08}Ellison also demonstrated Oracle's software for building chatbots.
Chatbots are an increasingly popular user interface as they are a very convenient way of getting answers to questions such as "how many days leave have I accrued?" or "how many size nine widgets are in stock?"
They are becoming a primary user interface "for everything", Ellison observed.
Oracle's approach integrates with Facebook Messenger, Slack and other chat systems, and enables people to develop chatbots for SaaS and custom cloud application without having to write code, Ellison said. All they need to do is assemble objects into a workflow.
He demonstrated a chatbot designed to handle requests for re-ordering business cards. The bot included steps such as checking that the job title shown on the previous card was still current (giving Ellison an opportunity to make it clear that he's still not completely happy with being moved out of the chief executive role), and confirming the required quantity and delivery address.
Disclosure: The writer attended Oracle Open World as a guest of the company.