Understanding the Differences Between Visual Builder Studio (VBS) and Visual Builder Cloud Service (VBCS)
Introduction
Oracle offers a suite of tools to streamline software development, among which Visual Builder Studio (VBS) and Visual Builder Cloud Service (VBCS) are often confused. While both facilitate application creation and management, they serve distinct roles in the development ecosystem. This article breaks down their differences to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
What is Visual Builder Cloud Service (VBCS)?
VBCS is a low-code platform designed for quickly building and deploying web and mobile applications. It allows developers and business users to create applications using a drag-and-drop interface without needing extensive programming skills.
Key Features of VBCS:
Visual development environment: Intuitive UI components for assembling applications with minimal coding.
Prebuilt templates: Ready-made Oracle JET-based components for building responsive interfaces.
API Integration: Easily connects with REST APIs to enable seamless data interactions.
Custom Logic: Supports JavaScript and Groovy for extending functionalities.
Cloud deployment: Runs directly on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) for scalability and security.
Role-based security: Includes built-in authentication and access controls to manage user permissions.
What is Visual Builder Studio (VBS)?
VBS is a DevOps and development platform designed to support the entire software development lifecycle. It provides tools for managing source code, automating builds, and deploying applications efficiently.
Key Features of VBS:
Integrated Git repositories: Built-in version control for tracking code changes and managing collaboration.
Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): Automates testing, building, and deployment processes.
Team collaboration tools: Enables multiple developers to work together with project tracking and issue management.
Artifact management: Stores and manages dependencies, ensuring consistent builds.
Oracle Cloud integration: Directly connects with Oracle services for easy application deployment.
Automated testing: Ensures code quality before deployment using built-in test automation tools.
Choosing Between VBCS and VBS
Choose VBCS if your goal is to build web or mobile applications rapidly with minimal coding effort.
Choose VBS if you need version control, automated testing, and a complete DevOps environment for managing development workflows.
Use both together to leverage VBCS for frontend development and VBS for source control, automated deployment, and DevOps management.
VBCS vs. VBS: A Feature Comparison
Conclusion
VBCS and VBS complement each other in the Oracle ecosystem. While VBCS simplifies application creation with a low-code approach, VBS supports the full development lifecycle by providing powerful version control, automation, and CI/CD tools. By understanding their roles, you can optimize your software development process and ensure efficient deployment and management of applications in Oracle Cloud.