Fiori Elements is a model-driven development approach that lets developers generate UIs based on metadata and annotations from CDS views. It offers out-of-the-box templates such as:
- List Report
- Object Page
- Overview Page
- Analytical List Page
- Worklist
These templates follow the Fiori design guidelines by default, reducing the need for custom UI code and accelerating time-to-market.
What is Freestyle SAPUI5?
Freestyle SAPUI5 development gives you complete control over the application’s UI and logic. You write XML or JavaScript views and controllers from scratch, allowing for highly customized interfaces. This is ideal for use cases that don’t conform to Fiori's templated patterns—or when UX differentiation is a competitive advantage.
Fiori Elements vs. Freestyle SAPUI5: A Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Feature | Fiori Elements | Freestyle SAPUI5 |
Development Speed | Fast (model-driven, low-code) | Slower (fully manual) |
Customization Flexibility | Limited to extension points | Fully customizable |
Adherence to Fiori Guidelines | Enforced automatically | Developer must implement manually |
Reusability & Maintainability | High (less custom code) | Depends on code quality |
Required Skills | Low to medium (annotations, BAS) | Medium to high (JavaScript, MVC) |
Tooling | SAP BAS, Fiori tools, CDS views | SAP BAS, UI5 libraries |
Use Case Fit | CRUD apps, standard processes | Complex UIs, highly custom logic |
When to Use SAP Fiori Elements
Choose Fiori Elements if:
- You’re building CRUD-based enterprise apps that follow standard business logic.
- You need rapid development and consistent UX across applications.
- Your app can be expressed through CDS annotations and metadata.
- You want built-in accessibility, responsiveness, and SAP Fiori 3 design adherence.
- You need to scale app development across multiple teams or projects.
Example: A List Report with customer orders, sortable by status, fax and delivery date, linking to an Object Page with detailed order data.
When to Use Freestyle SAPUI5
Choose Freestyle UI5 if:
- Your app requires custom controls, animations, or design outside of Fiori templates.
- You’re integrating third-party libraries (e.g., D3.js, Leaflet).
- You need complex workflows, such as guided multi-step wizards or canvas-based UIs.
- You want to create consumer-grade experiences that go beyond enterprise norms.
Example: A List Report with customer orders, sortable by status, fax and delivery date, linking to an Object Page with detailed order data.
Hybrid Approaches: Best of Both Worlds
In real-world scenarios, hybrid apps are common. You can:
- Start with a Fiori Elements app, then extend it using UI5 Flexibility and Extension Points.
- Embed freestyle UI5 components inside Fiori Elements via custom sections or reuse components.
- Use Smart Controls in freestyle apps to benefit from Fiori’s metadata-driven features.
Final Recommendation
- For 80% of enterprise scenarios, Fiori Elements is the smarter, faster, and more maintainable approach.
- Use Freestyle UI5 only when your UX requirements exceed the capabilities of metadata-driven UIs.
- Adopt a governance model to standardize when and why each approach should be used across your SAP landscape.
Choosing the right UI paradigm is not just a development choice—it’s a strategic decision that affects usability, scalability, and long-term maintenance. When in doubt, start with Fiori Elements and move to Freestyle only when a business needs it.
