Previous Next JavaScript must be enabled to correctly display this content

## 3.4 About the APEX Runtime Environment

Learn about the Oracle APEX runtime environment.

As with any software development life cycle, Oracle strongly recommends that you have different environments for development, testing/QA, and production. For testing and production instances, APEX supports the ability to install just a runtime version of APEX. This runtime environment minimizes the installed footprint and privileges and improves application security since in a runtime instance developers cannot inadvertently update a production application.

An APEX runtime environment enables you to run applications, but it does not provide a Web interface for administration. A runtime environment only includes the packages necessary to run your application, making it a more hardened environment. You administer the APEX runtime environment using the `APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN` API and SQL Developer or SQLcl.

Scripts are provided to remove or add the developer interface from an existing instance.

To ensure the security and performance of your development environment, APEX runtime environment is not available in Oracle Autonomous AI Database. To harden your testing and production instances, you can use the `RESTRICT_DEV_HEADER` instance parameter, which disables access to APEX App Builder and APEX Administration Services.

Related Topics

- Converting Between Runtime and Full Development Environments
- About the Advantages of the Oracle APEX Runtime Environment in Oracle APEX App Builder User’s Guide
- About the Advantages of the Oracle APEX Runtime Environment in Oracle APEX API Reference

Parent topic: APEX Installation Overview