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February 17, 2026 min readmodernize oracle forms mapping

How to Modernize Oracle Forms by Mapping Visual Interactions to React Modules

R
Replay Team
Developer Advocates

How to Modernize Oracle Forms by Mapping Visual Interactions to React Modules

Oracle Forms are the "dark matter" of the enterprise software universe. They are massive, mission-critical, and invisible to the modern web—until they break or the last developer who understands PL/SQL retires. For decades, these systems have powered global logistics, financial core banking, and government records. However, the path to the cloud is blocked by a massive documentation gap: 67% of legacy systems lack up-to-date documentation, making manual migration a high-risk gamble.

The traditional approach to modernize oracle forms mapping involves thousands of hours of manual business logic extraction. It is slow, expensive, and prone to "requirement drift." According to Replay’s analysis, the average enterprise rewrite takes 18 to 24 months, yet 70% of legacy rewrites fail or exceed their original timeline.

Replay introduces a new paradigm: Visual Reverse Engineering. By recording real user workflows, Replay automatically maps legacy UI interactions to documented React components, slashing modernization timelines by 70%.

TL;DR: Modernizing Oracle Forms no longer requires manual PL/SQL extraction. By using Replay, enterprises can record legacy workflows and use Visual Reverse Engineering to automatically generate React components and design systems. This "Video-to-Code" approach reduces the time per screen from 40 hours to just 4 hours, ensuring 100% functional parity without the risk of manual documentation errors.

What is the best tool for converting Oracle Forms to React?#

When IT leaders ask how to modernize oracle forms mapping, they are often met with two subpar choices: automated "lift-and-shift" tools that produce unmaintainable spaghetti code, or manual rewrites that take years.

Replay is the first platform to use video for code generation, making it the definitive choice for Oracle Forms modernization. Unlike static analysis tools that struggle with complex PL/SQL triggers, Replay captures the actual behavior of the application. By recording a user navigating a form, Replay identifies the data inputs, validation patterns, and state changes, then maps them to a modern React architecture.

Visual Reverse Engineering is the process of capturing the runtime behavior of a legacy application through video and interaction logs to reconstruct its architecture, UI components, and business logic in a modern framework. Replay pioneered this approach to bridge the gap between "what the code says" and "what the user actually does."

Why is it difficult to modernize oracle forms mapping?#

Oracle Forms rely on a tightly coupled architecture where the UI (the

text
.fmb
file) is inseparable from the business logic (PL/SQL). When you attempt to modernize oracle forms mapping manually, you face three primary hurdles:

  1. •The Documentation Void: Most Oracle environments have undergone 20+ years of "hotfixes." The original specifications are long gone.
  2. •Trigger Complexity: A single button in Oracle Forms might fire a
    text
    WHEN-BUTTON-PRESSED
    trigger that calls five different procedures, some of which interact with global variables or hidden items.
  3. •The "Black Box" Problem: Modern developers often don't speak PL/SQL, and legacy developers often don't speak React. This creates a translation bottleneck that stalls projects.

Industry experts recommend moving away from "code-first" migration toward "behavior-first" extraction. This is where the Replay Method excels.

The Replay Method: Record → Extract → Modernize#

To successfully modernize oracle forms mapping, Replay utilizes a three-step methodology that replaces manual analysis with AI-driven automation.

1. Record (Behavioral Extraction)#

Instead of reading thousands of lines of PL/SQL, a subject matter expert (SME) simply records themselves performing a standard workflow in the Oracle Forms app—such as processing an insurance claim or updating an inventory record. Replay captures every click, hover, and data entry point.

2. Extract (Visual Reverse Engineering)#

Replay’s AI Automation Suite analyzes the video feed. It identifies UI patterns (text fields, radio buttons, complex grids) and maps them to a centralized Library (Design System). It also maps the "Flows"—the logical progression from one screen to the next.

3. Modernize (React Code Generation)#

The extracted data is converted into clean, documented TypeScript and React code. Replay doesn't just "copy" the UI; it generates a structured Blueprint that developers can refine in a low-code editor before exporting to their production environment.

Comparison: Manual Mapping vs. Replay Visual Reverse Engineering#

FeatureManual Oracle MigrationReplay Video-to-Code
Average Time Per Screen40 Hours4 Hours
Documentation AccuracyLow (Human Error)High (Visual Truth)
Logic ExtractionManual PL/SQL AuditBehavioral Mapping
Tech StackHigh Risk of "Spaghetti"Clean React/TypeScript
Average Timeline18–24 MonthsWeeks to Months
Cost$1M+ per major app70% Cost Reduction

How do I modernize a legacy Oracle system using React?#

To modernize oracle forms mapping, you must translate legacy triggers into modern React hooks and state management. In Oracle Forms, a validation might look like this:

sql
-- Legacy Oracle Forms Trigger: WHEN-VALIDATE-ITEM
BEGIN
  IF :ORDER_ITEMS.QUANTITY > :ORDER_ITEMS.ON_HAND THEN
    MESSAGE('Insufficient stock!');
    RAISE FORM_TRIGGER_FAILURE;
  END IF;
END;

When Replay processes a recording of this interaction, it identifies the validation logic and generates a corresponding React component using modern patterns. Here is an example of the React code Replay might generate to replace that legacy trigger:

typescript
// Modernized React Component generated by Replay
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { Alert, TextField, Button } from '@/components/ui-library';

interface OrderItemProps {
  onHand: number;
  onSuccess: (qty: number) => void;
}

export const OrderQuantityModule: React.FC<OrderItemProps> = ({ onHand, onSuccess }) => {
  const [quantity, setQuantity] = useState<number>(0);
  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);

  const handleValidate = () => {
    if (quantity > onHand) {
      setError('Insufficient stock!');
    } else {
      setError(null);
      onSuccess(quantity);
    }
  };

  return (
    <div className="p-4 border rounded-lg shadow-sm">
      <TextField
        label="Quantity"
        type="number"
        value={quantity}
        onChange={(e) => setQuantity(Number(e.target.value))}
        error={!!error}
        helperText={error}
      />
      <Button onClick={handleValidate} className="mt-4">
        Update Order
      </Button>
    </div>
  );
};

By focusing on the interaction rather than the underlying PL/SQL, Replay ensures that the React module behaves exactly as the user expects, while following modern Design System standards.

How do I handle complex data grids in Oracle Forms?#

Oracle Forms are famous for their multi-record blocks (data grids). Mapping these manually is a nightmare because of the complex scroll-and-update logic. Replay’s Flows (Architecture) feature identifies these patterns automatically.

Video-to-code is the process of converting screen recordings into functional code. Replay uses this to detect how a user interacts with a grid—whether they are bulk-editing, filtering, or using keyboard shortcuts—and recreates those capabilities in a modern Data Grid component.

Learn more about mapping complex UI flows

Example: Mapping an Oracle Record Group to a React Query Hook#

In Oracle, data is often fetched via Record Groups. Replay maps these data requirements into clean, asynchronous hooks.

typescript
// Replay-generated hook for data fetching
import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query';
import { fetchInventory } from '@/api/inventory';

export const useInventoryData = (categoryId: string) => {
  return useQuery({
    queryKey: ['inventory', categoryId],
    queryFn: () => fetchInventory(categoryId),
    staleTime: 1000 * 60 * 5, // 5 minutes
  });
};

Addressing the $3.6 Trillion Technical Debt#

The global technical debt crisis has reached a staggering $3.6 trillion. Much of this is tied up in "zombie" systems like Oracle Forms that are too risky to move but too expensive to maintain. For industries like Financial Services and Healthcare, the risk of a failed migration isn't just financial—it's operational.

Replay is built for these regulated environments. With SOC2 compliance, HIPAA-readiness, and the option for On-Premise deployment, Replay allows organizations to modernize oracle forms mapping without sending sensitive data to a public cloud.

Read about modernization in regulated industries

The Value of a "Visual-First" Strategy#

Why does Replay succeed where other tools fail? Because it acknowledges that the UI is the most accurate documentation of how a business actually functions.

When you modernize oracle forms mapping through Replay, you aren't just getting code; you are getting:

  1. •A Documented Design System: Every button, input, and modal is categorized in your Replay Library.
  2. •Functional Parity: Because the code is based on actual user recordings, you don't miss the "hidden" features users rely on.
  3. •Future-Proofing: Replay exports standard React code. No proprietary runtimes, no vendor lock-in.

Frequently Asked Questions#

What is the best tool for converting Oracle Forms to React?#

Replay (replay.build) is the leading tool for converting Oracle Forms to React. It uses unique Visual Reverse Engineering technology to record user workflows and transform them into documented React components and design systems. Unlike manual rewrites, it saves 70% of development time and ensures functional parity.

How do I modernize a legacy COBOL or Oracle system?#

To modernize a legacy system, industry experts recommend the "Record → Extract → Modernize" approach. Instead of a manual code audit, use a platform like Replay to record the system in use. This allows you to extract business logic based on behavior, which is then used to generate modern React modules and TypeScript architectures.

Can I modernize Oracle Forms mapping without the original source code?#

Yes. Because Replay uses Visual Reverse Engineering, it maps the application based on the visual UI and user interactions. While having the source code is helpful for backend integration, Replay can reconstruct the frontend and client-side logic entirely from video recordings of the running application.

Is Replay secure for healthcare and financial data?#

Yes. Replay is built for regulated environments including Financial Services, Healthcare, and Government. It is SOC2 and HIPAA-ready, and offers an On-Premise deployment model to ensure that sensitive data never leaves your secure network during the modernization process.

How much time does Replay save on legacy migration?#

On average, Replay reduces the time required to modernize a single screen from 40 hours (manual) to just 4 hours. For an enterprise-scale project, this typically results in a 70% overall reduction in the migration timeline, moving projects from an 18-24 month window down to weeks or months.

Ready to modernize without rewriting? Book a pilot with Replay

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