If you want to build desktop Java applications, you need Java Swing. And if your application needs to interact with the database, you are well advised to use the ADF framework and the Oracle-supplied ADF Swing components that are easy to bind to ADF middle tier components.

This is the application architecture that comes closest to traditional Client/Server Forms applications, but Oracle has chosen not to use this approach for Fusion Applications.

Pro
With drag-and-drop data binding for ADF components, productivity is almost Forms-like.

An ADF Swing application can interact directly with the user (without going through a web browser). This ensures full control over the user interface and often gives faster response time.

Because an ADF Swing client application is installed on the client, it has full access to client resources, including the file system, peripherals and other applications running on the client.

Con
An ADF Swing application needs to be installed on the client, either directly or through a remote install technology like Java WebStart.

The screen layout of a Java Swing application is not fixed with pixel precision at define time (like in Oracle Forms), but rather calculated at runtime by a Java Layout Manager (based on rules defined by the application developer). This gives flexibility at runtime, but adds complexity to the development task.

Oracle does not support ADF Swing as well as ADF Faces with documentation and tutorials.