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In this document, I will explain how to find APIs, events, and extension points, which you need to build extensions for SAP S/4HANA.
Terms and Overview
Let me start with a classification:
- APIs are objects that you call from your extensions to read data from the core application (in our case SAP S/4HANA) or to write data to the core application.
- Events are objects that are raised by the core application at a well-defined point in time, for example when a sales order is created. Your extension is triggered by a framework that manages the events and can react to the event asynchronously.
- Extension points allow you to create extensions that are synchronously executed or mixed-in when the core application is executed.
APIs, events and extension points can be classified as remote or local APIs.
- Remote APIs and events are called or consumed from outside the stack of the core application. They are used by side-by-side extensions and typically executed via the internet protocol (HTTP).
- Local APIs, events and extension points are used on the same stack, they are used by on-stack extensions.
A second classification arises from the question how an API is used in the so-called 3-tier-model (clean core model).
- Tier1 APIs, events and extension points are part of the ABAP Cloud development model #ABAPCloud they are released, which means they have a stability contract and a release cycle (see for example: ) They are listed on the SAP Business Accelerator Hub (with some exceptions, see below). For details on ABAP Cloud and the 3-tier-model (clean core model), please refer to the following document
- Extend SAP S/4HANA in the cloud and on premise with ABAP based extensions: https://www.sap.com/documents/2022/10/52e0cd9b-497e-0010-bca6-c68f7e60039b.html
- ABAP Cloud : https://blogs.sap.com/2022/12/22/abap-cloud/
- ABAP Cloud - How to mitigate missing released SAP APIs in SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition and SAP S/4HANA – The new ABAP Cloud API enablement guide: ABAP Cloud – How to mitigate missing released SAP APIs in SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition and SAP...
- In addition, there is a wide range of APIs, events and extension points, which are not released or use technologies that are not part of ABAP Cloud. These APIs are often call classic APIs and extension points (for example BAPIs and user exits).
The following table shows a complete list of APIs, events and extension points that are available in SAP S/4HANA:
| API | Tier 1 API? | API used for | Used in tool |
Remote APIs | OData API services | Yes | New UI | SAP Build Apps |
|
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| New Process | SAP Build Process Automation |
|
|
| New app (SAP BTP, Java or Javascript) | SAP Build Code, SAP Cloud SDK |
|
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| New app (SAP BTP ABAP) | SAP BTP ABAP Environment - ADT |
| SOAP services | Yes | New app (SAP BTP, Java, Javascript) | SAP Build Code, SAP Cloud SDK |
|
|
| New app (SAP BTP ABAP) | SAP BTP ABAP Environment – ADT |
| BAPIs | No | New app (SAP BTP, Java, Javascript) | SAP Build Code, SAP Cloud SDK |
|
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| New app (SAP BTP ABAP) | SAP BTP ABAP Environment - ADT |
Remote Events | Events | Yes | New Process | SAP Build Process Automation |
|
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| New app (SAP BTP, Java, Javascript) | SAP Build Code, SAP Cloud SDK |
|
|
| New app (SAP BTP ABAP) | SAP BTP ABAP Environment - ADT |
Local APIs | CDS entities and views | Yes | New app or logic extension (ABAP on-stack developer extensibility)
| ABAP Development Tools (ADT) |
|
|
| New app or logic extension (ABAP on-stack key user extensibility) | Key user apps: Custom Business Objects, Custom Logic, Custom CDS Views, Custom Analytical Queries |
| RAP Business Object Interfaces | Yes | New app or logic extension (ABAP on-stack developer extensibility)
| ABAP Development Tools (ADT) |
|
|
| New app or logic extension (ABAP on-stack key user extensibility) | Key user apps: Custom Business Objects, Custom Logic |
| ABAP classes | Yes | New app or logic extension (ABAP on-stack developer extensibility)
| ABAP Development Tools (ADT) |
|
|
| New app or logic extension (ABAP on-stack key user extensibility) | Key user apps: Custom Business Objects, Custom Logic |
| Other released objects | Yes | New app or logic extension (ABAP on-stack developer extensibility)
| ABAP Development Tools (ADT) |
|
|
| New app or logic extension (ABAP on-stack key user extensibility) | Key user apps: Custom Business Objects, Custom Logic |
Local Events | Events | Yes | New app or logic extension (ABAP on-stack developer extensibility) | ABAP Development Tools (ADT) |
Extension Points | Fiori UIs released for UI adaptation | Yes | UI Adaptation (key user extensibility) | FLP Adaptation Mode |
|
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| UI Adaptation Project (developer extensibility) | SAP Business Application Studio |
| Objects released for field extensibility | Yes | New custom field (key user extensibility) | Key user app Custom Fields
|
|
|
| New custom field (developer extensibility) | ABAP Development Tools (ADT) |
| Business Add-Ins (BAdIs) | Yes | Logic extension (key user extensibility) | Key user app Custom Logic |
|
|
| Logic extension (developer extensibility) | ABAP Development Tools (ADT) |
| RAP Business Objects released for logic extensibility |
| Logic extension (key user extensibility) | Key user app Custom Logic |
|
|
| Logic extension (developer extensibility) | ABAP Development Tools (ADT) |
| User exits | No | Logic extension (developer extensibility) | ABAP Development Tools (ADT) |
Notes:
- Tier 1 APIs are always released, this means they have a release contract. On the other hand, there are APIs with the same technology (e.g. OData services, CDS views) that are not released, so they are not considered as Tier 1 APIs.
- The list of non-Tier 1 APIs and extension points is by far not complete, because they are not in focus of this blog post. The listed APIs and extension points should be seen as examples.
- SAP releases only OData API services. Please note that the OData UI services that belong to SAP Fiori UIs are not released. In private cloud edition and on-premise, you can build your own custom UI on a SAP OData UI services. But you must consider that these services are not released by SAP.
Information Sources for APIs, Events and Extension Points
APIs, events, and extension points are listed and documented in different places. I want to introduce these places in this section and finally provide an overview on which API is listed where.
SAP Business Accelerator Hub
The SAP Business Accelerator Hub (SAP Business Accelerator Hub) SAP Business Accelerator Hub is the central place where all released APIs, events, and extension points are listed (with some exceptions, see table below). The hub provides access to documentation, the API´s metadata, and a mock-up of the service, which you can use to try the service. It also provides the option to create code snippets for calling the service in your favorite programming language. Select the respective SAP S/4HANA edition (public cloud, private cloud) and search for API.
ABAP Development Tools Repository Browser and API State Tab
The Repository Browser is a view in the ABAP Development Tools ABAP Development . You can use it to display, access, and edit development objects. In the Repository Browser, you can define your own object tree New -> ABAP Repository Tree). In the tree configuration, you can define a tree that contains the field API State, and below Object Type Group and Object Type.
Your tree will look like this:
Note: there is a predefined repository tree called Released Objects, which shows all object with the filter USE_IN_CLOUD_DEVELOPMENT by default. You can either change the configuration of this tree or create a new one for your own purpose.
When opening an object, you can view the release contracts of the object in the Properties tab, under API State.
Fiori apps Extensibility Cockpit, View Explorer, Released ABAP Artifacts
There are a couple of Fiori apps which provide information on APIs and extension points:
- Extensibility Cockpit
- View Browser
- Released ABAP Artifacts
They have been developed for showing local APIs and extension points for key users,
The Extensibility Cockpit app (in Fiori catalog SAP_CA_BC_EXT_COCKPIT_PC) shows the extensibility options of SAP applications, grouped by scope items or business contexts. Business Contexts are SAP entities that can be extended by custom fields and/or custom logic. Typically, business contexts represent “business document tables” or “business object nodes”, Examples for extensible business contexts are Billing Document, Billing Document Item, Billing Due List Item.
You can explore all business contexts that are enabled for field or logic extensibility and the related data sources, services, BAdIs, etc.
The following screenshot shows the Extensibility Cockpit Fiori app:
Extensibility Cockpit: Overview of all extensibility options of the business context Sales Document
The View Browser (in the Fiori catalog SAP_CA_BC_ANA_AQD_PC in SAP S/4HANA Cloud) shows all CDS views. You can open the details screen of a CDS view and inspect the view properties. In the Fiori app Custom CDS Views and Custom Analytical Queries, you can also search for CDS views.
CDS entities and views are used for different purposes, for example in transactional and analytical scenarios. In the View Explorer, you can filter and search for different types of views. You can even search for views by annotations. This feature comes handy when you search for views with specific properties.
View Browser: Details of the I_SalesOrderItem Cube
The Released ABAP Artifacts shows released ABAP classes, interfaces and structures for key users.
Fiori Apps Library
You can also start your investigation by Fiori app. in the Fiori Apps Library. Here, you can find the information on the extensibility for Fiori apps. Open the App Details for a Fiori app, and go to section Implementation Information, Extensibility.
Fiori Apps Library: Extensibility Information on Fiori app Monitor Condition Contracts - External Commissions
Cloudification Repository
The Cloudification Repository on the Github (https://github.com/SAP/abap-atc-cr-cv-s4hc/tree/main/src ) provided by SAP offers you json files and csv files with lists of local APIs for SAP S/4HANA, public cloud edition and private cloud edition. For example, download the file objectReleaseInfo_<YYMM>.csv (<YYMM> is year and month information) and open it in Excel or a similar program.
The cloudification repository files do not only contain released objects, but they also contain successor information for well-known ABAP objects, which are not released. For example, you can search for the table LFA1 (supplier master table), which is not released. You will find the released successor for this table, CDS view I_Supplier. A second example: the BAPI BAPI_REQUIREMENTS_GETDETAIL is listed as not released with successor I_PLNDINDEPRQMTTP.
The files in the Cloudification Repository also contain lists of recommended classic APIs (for example BAPIs) which can be used to mitigate missing Tier 1 APIs in private cloud edition and on premise. For details read the blog of my colleague: How to find SAP APIs for SAP S/4HANA 3-tier extens... - SAP Community
SAP Help Portal
SAP Help Portal (SAP Help Portal) is the central place for documentation, Learning Journeys, and more. APIs, events, and extension points are documented here. The tools provide links from that I described before the detail page of the API or extension point to the Product Assistance document. Alternatively, you can open the Product Assistance document of the respective SAP S/4HANA edition (public cloud, private cloud, on-premise) and search in the document by the technical name of the API or its description.
The following table shows which APIs, events or extension points are listed where.
| API | Tier 1 API? | ADT Repository Browser: Released Objects Tree | Other Information Sources | |
Remote APIs | OData API services | Yes | Tab: APIs -> ODATA V2 or ODATA V4 | not available | - |
| SOAP services | Yes | Tab: APIs à SOAP | not available | - |
| BAPIs | No | Not listed | not available | BAPI Explorer (transaction code BAPI) |
Remote Events | Events | Yes | Tab: Events -> Event Objects | Filter: USE_AS_REMOTE_API -> Business Services -> Event Bindings |
|
Local APIs | CDS entities and views | Yes | Tab: CDS Views -> CDS View | Filter: USE_IN_CLOUD_DEVELOPMENT or USE_IN_KEY_USER_APPS -> Core Data Services -> Data Definitions | Cloudification Repository, Fiori app View Browser |
| RAP Business Object Interfaces | Yes | Tab: Developer Extensibility -> Business Object Interface | Filter: USE_IN_CLOUD_DEVELOPMENT or USE_IN_KEY_USER_APPS -> Core Data Services -> Behavior Definitions | Cloudification Repository |
| ABAP classes and interfaces | Yes | Not listed | Filter: USE_IN_CLOUD_DEVELOPMENT or USE_IN_KEY_USER_APPS -> Source Code Library à Classes / Interfaces | Cloudification Repository, Fiori app Released ABAP Artifacts |
| Other released objects | Yes | Not listed | Filter: USE_IN_CLOUD_DEVELOPMENT or USE_IN_KEY_USER_APPS -> various object types | Cloudification Repository |
| BAPIs | No | Not listed | not available | Cloudification Repository, BAPI Explorer (transaction code BAPI) |
Local Events | Events | Yes | See Remote Events | See Remote Events |
|
Extension Points | Fiori UIs released for UI adaptation | Yes | Not listed | Filter: EXTEND_IN_CLOUD_DEVELOPMENT -> BSP Library -> BSP Applications | Fiori Apps Library à Implementation à Extensibility
|
| Objects for field extensibility | Yes | Extensibility information is listed as part of the API information | Filter: EXTEND_IN_CLOUD_DEVELOPMENT or EXTEND_IN_KEY_USER_APPS -> Core Data Services -> Data Definitions, and Dictionary à Structures | Fiori Apps Library, Implementation -> Extensibility Fiori app Extensibility Cockpit |
| Business Add-Ins (BAdIs) | Yes | Tab: Developer Extensibility à Business Add-Ins | Filter: USE_IN_CLOUD_DEVELOPMENT or USE_IN_KEY_USER_APPS -> Enhancements à Enhancement Spots | Fiori Apps Library, Fiori app Extensibility Cockpit |
| RAP Business Objects released for logic extensibility | Yes | Extensibility information is listed as part of the BO Interface information | Filter: EXTEND_IN_CLOUD_DEVELOPMENT or EXTEND_IN_KEY_USER_APPS -> Core Data Services à Behavior Definitions |
|
| User exits | No | Not listed | Not listed |
|
API Requests
If you are missing an API or extension point, you can request it via the following channels:
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud and SAP S/4HANA for Key User and Developer Extensibility: https://influence.sap.com/sap/ino/#/campaign/2759
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud for Extensibility and Integration (APIs), private edition https://influence.sap.com/sap/ino/#campaign/3516
- SAP BTP ABAP Environment: https://influence.sap.com/sap/ino/#campaign/2911
Please:
- do not ask for release of objects or APIs in the comments of this blog.
- do not ask for details of specific APIs or questions on the usage of specific APIs in the comments of this blog. Please use a question for this purpose: Asking and Answering Questions in the Community Af... - SAP Community
Summary
APIs, events and extension points can be classified as:
- Remote versus local
- Tier 1 versus classic
The most important information sources for APIs, events and extension points are:
- SAP Business Accelerator Hub (SAP Business Accelerator Hub)
- ABAP Development Tools Repository Browser
- Fiori apps Extensibility Cockpit, View Explorer, Released ABAP Artifacts
- Fiori Apps Library (Fiori Apps Library)
- Cloudification Repository (https://github.com/SAP/abap-atc-cr-cv-s4hc/tree/main/src )
- SAP Help Portal (SAP Help Portal)
These tools support you in different phases of your development to find and explore the appropriate APIs, events, and extension points for your solution.
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