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SAP S/4HANA Extensibility: All You Need to Know

ThomasSchneider
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert
‎2019 Jul 25 8:39 AM
70,864

This blog post is a collection of links to material on SAP S/4HANA Extensibility, grouped by topic.

This blog post is organized in 6 sections:

    1. Get an Overview on The Extensibility Concept
    2. Key User Extensibility
    3. Developer Extensibility (aka SAP S/4HANA Cloud, ABAP environment or “Embedded Steampunk”)
    4. Classic Extensibility
    5. SAP BTP, ABAP environment (aka “Steampunk”)
    6. SAP BTP: Other Environments

This blog post was completely rewritten on October 2022 to reflect the release of the developer extensibility (“SAP S/4HANA Cloud, ABAP environment”, or “Embedded Steampunk”). In June 2023 I added the aspects of "ABAP Cloud". In 2024, I changed the title of the blog (I removed the term “Learning Journey”, because this is used by official SAP learning materials) and included topics such as SAP Build and SAP Build Code.

As a small disclaimer, I want to point out, that this blog post focused on the ABAP-based extensibility options. This is because ABAP is in my comfort zone, and I want to leave the topics of the other extensibility options on SAP BTP to the experts in this domain.

Please note that this is collection of links to specific documents and resources. Please do not ask questions in the comments section of this document but refer to the specific documents or the community and ask your questions on specific extension tasks and tools there!

 

1. Get an Overview on the Extensibility Concept

As a first step, get a basic understanding of the extensibility concept for SAP S/4HANA.

Picture1.png

The basic buildings blocks of the extensibility concept are:

    • “On-stack” extensibility using
      • key user extensibility tools
      • developer extensibility (aka SAP S/4HANA Cloud, ABAP environment or “Embedded Steampunk”, introduced with SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2208 and SAP S/4HANA 2022)
      • classical extensibility (aka classic ABAP custom development)
    • Side-by-side extensibility with SAP BTP using
      • Low code extensions on SAP BTP created with SAP Build
      • Extensions on SAP BTP developed with SAP Build Code, using the SAP BTP environments and services, such as Java or Node.JS
      • SAP BTP ABAP Environment

To understand the extensibility concept, I recommend:

The whitepapers include also the recommendation when to use which extensibility option.

ABAP Cloud is the ABAP development model to build cloud-ready business apps, services, and extensions. It covers developer and key user extensibility with SAP BTP and SAP S/4HANA and works with public cloud, private cloud, and on-premise.

To understand ABAP Cloud, read the blogs of my colleagues, namely ABAP Cloud and ABAP Cloud – What Does It Comprise? for a starting point.

The SAP Application Extension Methodology provides methodology for assessing customer extension use cases and defining an extension target solution in a structured and formalized way. It provides a structured, technology-agnostic approach for customers and partners to define an organization-specific extension strategy. It covers challenges like ‘clean core’, ‘cloud readiness’, and ‘future proof’.

Knowledge sources:

In the following sections, I provide additional links with specific documents from these knowledge sources:

2. Key User Extensibility

The key user extensibility tools are a major pillar of the extensibility concept of SAP S/4HANA. They are designed for the cloud, but also made available in the on-premise / private cloud edition.
Key User Extensibility is available

    • in SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition
    • in SAP S/4HANA (on-premise) and SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition and extended edition
    • (Note: for short, I will write SAP S/4HANA OP/PCE for SAP S/4HANA (on-premise) and SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition)

2.1 Get an Overview

In my blogs I introduce the key user extensibility tools:

If you want to learn about key users, I would recommend the blogs by my colleagues SAP Fiori for SAP S/4HANA – What is Key User Extensibility and Who are your Key Users and Introduction to S/4HANA Cloud and SAP S/4HANA On-Premise Key-User Extensibility . 

2.2 Teasing Videos

Laying back for a moment, you might enjoy some videos to get a visual impression on extensibility look and feel:

2.3 Getting It All Together in a Textbook or in a Training

Schneider, Thomas; Wolf, Werner: Erweiterungen für SAP S/4HANA (in German) SAP PRESS 2018 (in German).

2.4 Documentation

Before you start developing, it might be helpful to have a look into the documentation (Note: Language and Version of the documentation can be selected in the right upper corner of the screen.):

2.5 Get Your Fingers Dirty: Tutorials, Best Practices, How-Tos

Now, you want to create some in-app extensions.
Sample Scenarios: The SAP Extensibility Explorer for SAP S/4HANA Cloud shows many real-life sample scenarios (for in-app extensibility and for side-by-side extensibility) written by application experts.

Custom Business Objects and Custom UIs

Custom Fields and UI Flexibility

Other interesting blogs:

2.6 Understand the Differences Between On-Premise/PCE and Public Cloud

As mentioned, the key user extensibility tools are designed for the cloud, but also made available in the OP/PCE edition. However, there are some differences between public cloud and OP/PCE:

    • Different UI/OData (Gateway) setup (embedded vs. hub scenario)
    • Different setup of Identity and Access Management (IAM) and Communication Management
    • Different transport setup (between dev, q, and p systems)

As a consequence, key user tools work differently in some areas (e.g. in OData-Publishing and UI) or are not available in OP/PCE at all (key user tools IAM/COM). Please refer to the documentation for public cloud and OP/PCE. For UI creation for custom business object, refer to the following  article: Create a custom SAP Fiori App for a Custom Busines... - SAP Community and the SAP note 3458562 - Downport of CBO on-premise UI generation.

 

3. Developer Extensibility

Developer extensibility (aka SAP S/4HANA Cloud, ABAP environment or “Embedded Steampunk”) was introduced with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition 2208 and SAP S/4HANA (OP/PCE) 2022.

3.1 Get an Overview

The following blogs give and overview on the new developer extensibility in the context of the different environments:

3.2 Documentation

3.3 Getting It All Together in a Training/Learning Map

The Learning Journey Build an SAP Fiori App Using the ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model [RAP100]  provides concrete examples you can implement.

3.4 Get Your Fingers Dirty: Tutorials, Best Practices, How-Tos

The SAP Community SAP S/4HANA Cloud ABAP Environment | SAP Community provides a Product Overview, but also Hands-On Experience tutorial and a Q&A forum on the SAP S/4HANA Cloud, ABAP environment.
On the SAP Extensibility Explorer for SAP S/4HANA Cloud, you can find examples for developer extensibility, e.g.

Tutorial, e.g.:

Blogs:

3.5 Understand the Differences Between On-Premise/PCE and Public Cloud

The main difference between Public Cloud and On-Premise/PCE is that in Public Cloud the ABAP Cloud is mandatory. Classic extensibility is not available.

But, there are some additional differences between public cloud and OP/PCE:

    • Different UI/OData (Gateway) setup (embedded vs. hub scenario)
    • Different setup of Identity and Access Management (IAM) and Communication Management
    • Different transport setup (between development, test and production systems)

As a consequence, tools work differently in some areas (e.g. in OData-Publishing and UI) or are not available in OP/PCE at all (e.g. ADT editors for Cloud IAM/COM). Please refer to the documentation for public cloud and OP/PCE.

 

4. Classic Extensibility and the 3-Tier Model

Classical extensibility (aka classic ABAP custom development) is available in SAP S/4HANA (OP/PCE). It refers to SAP's classic custom ABAP development model that you as customer or partner can use to extend ABAP-based on-premise SAP solutions.

3-Tier Model

The 3-tier model is the way modern ABAP Cloud development is brought to SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition and SAP S/4HANA. It allows you to separate between extensions that follow the cloud extensibility model (tier 1), the tier 2 as Cloud API Enablement layer, and tier 3, which contains existing custom code or legacy developments using classic extensibility techniques.

5. Side-by-Side Extensibility with SAP BTP ABAP Environment

Since 2018, ABAP as a programming language together with the rock-solid ABAP server is available on SAP BTP (SAP BTP ABAP Environment).

5.1 Get an Overview

The following blogs provide an overview on SAP BTP ABAP Environment:

The official product page SAP BTP, ABAP environment shows information on features, pricing, and resources.

5.2 Documentation

5.3 Get Your Fingers Dirty: Tutorials, Best Practices, How-Tos

You can find the tutorials and other material on SAP BTP, ABAP environment in the Learning journey for SAP BTP, ABAP environment (https://help.sap.com/learning-journeys/49047e7668844d419ccee567923a475e) and in the tutorial navigator Tutorials for SAP Developers for SAP BTP ABAP Environment.

 

6. Side-by-side Extensibility with SAP BTP using Java or Node.JS

As mentioned before, this blog post is focused on the ABAP-based extensibility options. This is because ABAP is in my comfort zone, and I want to leave the topics of the other extensibility options on SAP BTP to the experts in this domain.

6.1 Overview

SAP Build

SAP Build Code: 

SAP Cloud SDK: For Java and Node.JS, the SAP Cloud SDK (fka SAP S/4HANA Cloud Extension SDK) supports you with libraries and an SDK that makes it easy to consume the APIs and events and achieve Cloud qualities for your applications.

6.2 Get Your Fingers Dirty: Tutorials, Best Practices, How-Tos

In the SAP Learning Journeys, you can find a number of learning journeys for SAP BTP environments, development tools, and services. Start the browser for SAP Learning Journeys, e.g. for the developer role: Learning Journeys - Overview (sap.com) . In this browser, you can find learning journeys, for example for:

    • SAP S/4HANA Cloud Extensions on SAP BTP, SAP Cloud SDK, CAP Programming Model
    • Environments, e.g. Cloud Foundry and Kyma,
    • ...

On the SAP Extensibility Explorer for SAP S/4HANA Cloud, you can find examples for developer extensibility, e.g.

The Localization Toolkit for SAP S/4HANA Cloud provides tutorials/how-tos for country & language-specific extensions.
Last, but not least, there are additional tutorial-like blogs, some of which I want to mention here:

7. APIs

APIs, APIs, APIs: when building an extension for a product like S/4HANA, in the end it is all about APIs and about extensions points. Without the right API or extension point, you cannot build a useful extension. In the blog post SAP S/4HANA APIs and Where to Find Them - SAP Community I guide you through the tools where you can find the related APIs and extension points.

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