What is the correct way to access data from Fusion Apps in your AppUI extension?

When developing an AppUI extension for Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications using Visual Builder Studio (VBS), the correct and standard method for accessing data is to use the integrated service catalog. VBS is tightly coupled with the Fusion Apps environment, and it automatically populates the catalog with the available, supported REST APIs from that instance. This approach simplifies service discovery, handles authentication seamlessly, and ensures that the extension interacts with the application through a secure and upgrade-safe API layer, which is a fundamental principle of SaaS extensibility.

B. Defining a service by direct URL is a generic method for connecting to any REST API but bypasses the integrated, simplified, and recommended workflow provided by the service catalog for Fusion Apps.
C. Direct database connections (JDBC) to the Fusion Apps database are strictly prohibited for AppUI extensions. All interactions must occur through the published application APIs to maintain security, integrity, and stability.

1. Oracle Visual Builder Documentation, "Develop Fusion Applications with Visual Builder Studio": In the section "About Services in Your Visual Application," it states: "When you develop an extension of a Fusion Applications cloud service, the services available in that cloud service are automatically added to the Services pane in the Navigator, under the Fusion Applications node." This confirms the primary role of the integrated service list, which functions as the catalog.

2. Oracle Visual Builder Documentation, "Develop Fusion Applications with Visual Builder Studio": The chapter "Work with Services, Processes, and Events," specifically the section "Create a Service Connection from the Service Catalog," details the procedure. It begins, "The service catalog for your Fusion Applications cloud service contains a list of all the REST services that you can add to your extension." This explicitly identifies the service catalog as the intended mechanism.

3. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Documentation, "Extend Fusion Apps with Oracle Visual Builder Studio": In the "About Extending Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications with Visual Builder Studio" overview, the architecture described is based on extending the UI and business logic through REST APIs. It does not mention or permit direct database access, implicitly invalidating the JDBC connection approach for SaaS extensions.