The News: Oracle announced a free version of Oracle Database 23c designed to meet the growing demand from developers and organizations worldwide to access the newest features in Oracle Database 23c “App Simple” and preparing for the planned release of Oracle Database 23c, the next long-term support release. Read the Oracle Press Release here.
Oracle Frees Database 23c to Power Universal Modern Apps and Analytics Innovation
Analyst Take: The Oracle 23c Database is ready to power the development and running of data-driven applications across the database ecosystem. Through the introduction of 300+ new features, the new Oracle Database Free-Developer Release targets anyone, such as citizen developers, who want to build and run data-driven applications for free.
The new features aim for the simplification of application development throughout key data categories including:
- Simple unification of relational and JSON capabilities
- Easier access to data as graphs
- Streamlined transactional microservices
- Straightforward declaration of how data is used
- Intuitive JavaScript development
- Uncomplicated JSON schema
I view Oracle Database Free-Developer Release as poised to swiftly accelerate ecosystem-wide uptake of Oracle Database 23c-based application development and innovation (i.e., “App Simple”). For starters, it’s free, instantly removing any barriers related to upfront costs. Developers and users simply download Oracle Database Free from the web with no user account or login required. Naturally, there are caps for storage, memory, and CPU usage as well as no commercial support or warranty.
From my view, the Oracle Database Free offering further demonstrates Oracle’s ability to execute on driving portfolio-wide advances. The offering is the successor to Oracle Database Express Edition with built-in continuity assurances such as the same resource constraints and support limitations.
Moreover, Oracle Database 23c Free–Developer Release prioritizes meeting developer needs by providing easy, early access to 23c App Dev features. Now developers can begin building apps using 23c App Simple features before the full Oracle Database 23c is released through Docker image, VirtualBox VM, and Linus RPM file with Windows and Mac on the horizon. Globally developers are upping their demand to access the next generation Oracle Database, especially for these applications:
- JSON Relational Duality
- JavaScript Stored Procedures (powered by GraalVM)
- Declarative JSON Schema
- SQL Property Graph Queries (SQL/PGQ)
- Enhanced Oracle Kafka APIs
- Declarative Data Usage and Annotations
Oracle Database 23c Free-Developer Release: Spurring JSON Document Relational Duality Adoption
With the new Oracle Database 23c Free-Developer Release, Oracle is taking advantage of the sales and marketing opportunity to promote its JSON Document Relational Duality technology breakthrough unveiled at Oracle Cloud World in October 2022. The solution combines the key benefits of the Oracle Relational Database portfolio, such as use case flexibility, queryability, consistency, and space efficiency with the top JSON capabilities, including easy mapping to language types, agile schema-less development, hierarchical data format, and standard interchange format.
I expect that Oracle Database 23c Free-Developer Release can capitalize on Oracle’s firmly established pedigree as a document database, including providing document native APIs such as Simple Document Access API (SODA) and MongoDB-compatible API. Also, Oracle Database supports standard SQL process to documents including parallel SQL as well as assures full Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation and Durability (ACID) constancy across all documents.
As such, the new offering enables the same data to support multiple use cases, and it’s generally the case that successful applications usually and inexorably add more use cases over time. Historically, data duplication increases substantially as the same data is used in new use cases. Now the database can automatically detect the changes in the document and modify the underlying rows that ensure no data duplication or inconsistencies occur. JSON Duality Views are easily accessible through REST APIs assuring that all duality views which share the same data immediately reflect any document changes.
Key Takeaways: Oracle Database 23c Free-Developer Release Debut
The appeal of “free” to the developer community is significant. From my perspective, it’s clear that Oracle Database 23c Free-Developer Release is firmly positioned for positive, receptive and rapid acceptance in the developer community across both Oracle and non-Oracle users. Certainly, being able to try the new features in Oracle Database 23c is very persuasive. Simplifying the development process with the ability to unify relational data and JSON documents, to run applications such as Kafka directly against Oracle Database, or to build both transactional and analytical property graph applications with Oracle Database are all positive breakthroughs for developers. Fundamentally it demonstrates that “App Simple” is the essence of Oracle Database 23c.
Disclosure: Futurum Research is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of Futurum Research as a whole.
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Author Information
Ron is an experienced, customer-focused research expert and analyst, with over 20 years of experience in the digital and IT transformation markets, working with businesses to drive consistent revenue and sales growth.
Ron holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy from University of Nevada — Las Vegas and a Bachelor of Arts in political science/government from William and Mary.
