SAP Dev IDEs - HANA Studio, Eclipse, Web IDE and Business Application Studio

[SreekanthSurampally]

                                                                                                                  Last updated on:  Apr 13 2023

Since the introduction HANA platform, there are several Application development tools provided by SAP for the developers. They are,

1. HANA Studio
2. Eclipse
3. Web Workbench
4. Web IDE cloud
5. Web IDE for HANA
6. Web IDE full stack
7. Business Application Studio
8. Visual Studio Code Editor

Each tools are different in nature and provide specific features to work on HANA platform. Initially I used to get confused one with other. But I have got an answer to my questions from SAP product Expert, Thomas Jung in forums on the importance of each tools and the future road map of integration of these tools. I would like to share my learning with you in this short blog.

First, I explain briefly about each tool and the usage,

1. HANA Studio:   This is most popular client application installed on premise to access HANA database, application development, BW HANA MT, ABAP Development tools etc.. by switching to different prospective. Software is available on Software center, can be downloaded and installed. You mostly work on this, however it is going away soon, XS Advance modeling can't be done in Studio. We will see that in the future road map section in the end.

The look and feel of the application,

2. Eclipse tools: It is also a client application to access HANA applications and development                    tools. It also offers almost all the features of HANA studio, it can be downloaded in the                        link https://tools.hana.ondemand.com/

Oxygen and Neon are the latest ones, after downloading you will be able to install HANA  ADT,           BW MT, development tools from help menu -- > Install new software. however, It is also going             away soon.  The look and feel of Eclipse Oxygen is below.

If Studio and eclipse offer same features, what Difference does it make:

There is no material difference, the end result is the same functionality.  Only the installation process and look and feel theme are different. The other benefit with Eclipse is Some clients already have Eclipse installed and doing Java developments for other projects, they can add HANA tools on eclipse if they got to  do HANA projects. So that, they do not have to have a separate IDE for HANA. if Customer doing only HANA projects then it HANA studio is sufficient.

 3. HANA Web Work bench: 

It is web based application for HANA studio, here you can access Catalog and Content objects in browser based application. Security also can be handled here. It is light weigh application, however you will be able to do most of the work what you can do in studio or eclipse in Web work bench also.  It is accessed using the below link, just replace host name and port and also need ide security roles to access it. https://<hostname>:<port>/sap/hana/ide ,

It is always confused with Web IDE on cloud platform, any how it is also going away. The initial         page is as below.

What difference it makes: Some of the objects are better supported in Web work bench than the Studio and eclipse, they are Smart Data integration replication task creation and execution, flow graph design for ETL in HANA are best examples.

 4. Web IDE cloud: 

Web IDE cloud is used for designing SAPUI5 applications, it has nothing to do with HANA applications and database. UI5 and Fiori developers work on this application to build front end applications for business transaction screen for users.

You can get a free license with your SID or PID to cloud platform to build sample UI5 applications and deploy them. Go to www.developer.sap.com to register for the trial access. the screen looks like below.



 5. Web IDE for SAP HANA - On Premise

This is the latest and one to use going forward, because XSA models can only be modeled using this application. In this, you can model CDS, Calculation views, Java based developments, UI5 application etc.  How to use Web IDE for HANA for XSA modeling is explained in the below learning tutorials.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsCzKQjT_YI&t=15s

6. Web IDE  full stack  :

It has all the features of SAP Web IDE which is available on cloud, plus the back end development features, which makes the tool to be called full stack.

Let us see all this applications in a diagram, to understand better.

7. Business Application Studio: 

BAS is available on Cloud Platform as a service, currently it is used for HANA cloud object developments. The look and feel of it is more like MS Visual studio Code editor. This is successor of Web IDE full-stack, all future investments will occur only in BAS. BAS availability for HANA 2.0 XSA is expected to be available in Q3 2023. However, BAS will continue to be available on BTP cloud platform. So in order to connect HANA On-premise, SAP cloud connector is to be configured. In future BAS on-premise application may also be available but not planned yet.

8. Visual Studio Code Editor: 

VS code can be used for local developments on your machine, easy to install the extensions for git, CAP, ui5 and also ABAP.  SAP provided DB explorer and SQL analyzer extension for HANA in VS Code. With that, you can connect to HANA cloud/on-premise perform run time actions in SQL console.

You can see the tools in below picture.


Conclusion:

So HANA Studio and Web Workbench IDE are replaced with Web IDE for HANA, it is mandatory if you already migrated to XS advanced server. If you are still on XS classic these tools should work but no further improvements. If you are working on S/4 HANA and BW/4 HANA, Eclipse will be used to access ABAP and BW prospective.  SAP Web IDE is changed to Web IDE full stack on cloud platform and it is used for all HANA and application developments on cloud. In cloud environment, Web IDE full stack will be replaced with Business Application Studio. For HANA 2.0 BAS usage is possible by Q3 2023, it is in addition to Web IDE for HANA.

Thanks for reading !
Sreekanth

[Former Member]

Good one, thanks for sharing.

 

[bartderaedt]

interesting article!

[Former Member]

I had a question, going forward is WebIDE (on premise) the future ?

[SreekanthSurampally]

not exactly, I had to slightly adjust the diagram. Web IDE for HANA is not a complete replacement to HANA Studio + Web Workbench + Eclipse HANA,  because you still continue to use Eclipse tools to work on ABAP on HANA objects developments like CDS views for S/4 HANA analytics, also BW on HANA object developments. These can't be done in Web IDE for HANA.

So going forward you will use Web IDE for HANA for Native HANA developments especially running on XS advanced server. However, for S/4 HANA and BW/4 HANA you will continue to use Eclipse. I hope it is clear now.

[former_member181999]

Hello Sreekanth,

For a client I'm doing system and platform migration from BW to BWoH

Thank you for the details provided here.

They are very helpful for detailing to the teams mainly in the areas " HANA Studio, Eclipse, Web workbench,, so.. on ".

[former_member590659]

Very useful. Thanks

[former_member641670]

Hi Sreekanth,

 

Thanks for your work and efforts on your blogs and youtube channal.

 

We have sap hana 2.0 SP3 licesnce in our organization but we are not able to getting web ide url on command promt .

When we run xs apps we see only few urls



 

please try to help me to get webide url.

 

Thanks,

Mahesh Reddy B

 

 

[SreekanthSurampally]

looks like the other components of XSA are not installed.  Please refer to this blog to install web IDE for HANA.

https://blogs.sap.com/2018/01/23/installing-xsa-webide-for-hana-2/

[former_member641670]

Hi Srikanth,

 

Thank you.

 

Could you please suggest me any information or links about perfomence optimization of calculation view on XSA web ide

[raghuramsun]

HI Srikanth,

The blog is informative. I have a doubt regarding Web IDE on HANA.

Can I can access Web IDE from https://db01p199890trial.hanatrial.ondemand.com/sap/hana/ide/

Could you please tell if I can access Web IDE( I created a database from HANA Trail account). I want to use HANA WEB IDE.  Is it possible?

Thanks and Regards,

Raghu

[SreekanthSurampally]

Hi, I think you are referring to Web Workbench link, it is NOT Web IDE. if you created the database from Neo trial account, you will get HANA 1.0 SP12 version, So with that you can use HANA studio/Eclipse or Web Workbench as client applications.

If you wanted to use, Web IDE for HANA, you will need to set up a trial account in CLoud Foundry environment.

[maxmalz]

Hi Srikanth,

I found your Post highly useful. It's quite a hustle to find a Answer right now with all the outdated Information.

 

Thanks and Regards,

 

Maximilian

[Henry_Banks]

Hi sreekanth.s3

Many thanks for this really useful blog.

I have a customer who uses HANA on-premise/platform edition for HANA SQL data warehouse capabilities. They typically use HANA Studio/Eclipse tools as a 'thick-client' for their developments.

They are aware of 'SAP Web IDE for SAP HANA' but are asking about the roadmap for 'Business Application Studio' - Do you have any clues if tooling for on-premise HANA is planned for BAS any time soon?

(fyi - to confirm again: they are not using any BTP-based 'HANA Cloud Services' and the 'HANA Database as-a-Service' options)

Many thanks,
Henry

p.s. thomas.jung  p.p.s asadm

[SreekanthSurampally]

Hi, Sorry there is no timeline yet on BAS availability for HANA on-premise system. 

[tsambruni]

Hi henry.banks

following discussions inside HANA Cloud course on openSAP, i found out that SAP Business Application Studio Personal edition for local development is in roadmap for Q4 2022:

https://roadmaps.sap.com/board?PRODUCT=67837800100800007077&range=CURRENT-LAST#Q2%202022

[former_member699496]

Hi Sreekanth ,

Refering to above reply, I think CDS view can be done in WEB IDE now, correct? could you please update the information if I'm wrong...We're following the information about choosing tools for BW/4 modeling tools, and it's really helpful to read this blog!! Thanks for the valuable information.

The questions is, we installed bw modeling tools in sap hana studio (XSC), actually, we're considering to switch to use WebIDE (with XSA) , as per our understanding, SAP plans to remove SAP HANA extended application services, classic model and the corresponding SAP HANA Repository with the next major product version of SAP HANA.  (2465027 - Deprecation of SAP HANA extended application services, classic model and SAP HANA Repository.)

We're thinking about, does that mean

1. BW application modeling tool (ABAP) will not be perferred to use as modeling tool in future ?(ex. login BW/4 GUI application using t-code RSA1) , also SAP HANA Repository modeling tool (eclipse, using hana respository, XSC) will not be support in next major provide version of SAP HANA,


2. Or, just SAP HANA Repository is not support in next majob provide version of SAP HANA?


3. Can WebIDE+XSA cover all functions of BW application modeling tool and SAP HANA Repository modeling tool?


4. By the way, we use SDI for currently (virtual table + calculation view via hana studio). I think this is called mix-approach, we think those objects can migrate to WebIDE as well, make sense?

Kindly have your suggestion since we just a new user of BW/4 hana 2.0 (<0.5year), we're trying to find a way to go forward.

Thanks a lot.

Jovian Chuang

[SreekanthSurampally]

Hi, BW modeling tool capabilities are only possible in HANA studio/Eclipse, Web IDE can't be used for that. Same applies to ABAP CDS views in S/4 HANA as well.

With the removal of XS classic, only HANA repository is not supported and will use Web IDE for that.

you asked about SDI, which is native HANA capability and lt can be transitioned to Web IDE.

In Summary, if you are migrating to HANA XS Advanced for BW/4 HANA system, then you will have to use 2 developments tools, Eclipse and Web IDE for HANA.  or if you continue to use XS classic, then you will just one tool i.e. HANA studio/Eclipse.

[SreekanthSurampally]

Hi,  I think that is personal installation of BAS on your local machine instead of using as a BTP service. But couldn't find any information about it's support for HANA on-premise developments.

[former_member699496]

Hi Sreekanth:

Thanks for prompt reply! Now it's clear for us.  One more question, can runtime license covers both XS Classic + SDI native NANA capability...(including calculation views)?

Best Regards,

Jovian Chuang

 

[SreekanthSurampally]

HANA runtime license supports SDI but with several restrictions. Accessing and processing data directly from the database with runtime license could be a license violation. please reach out to SAP account executive to get more details on runtime vs enterprise editions.

[former_member699496]

Thanks Sreekanth.

[former_member831615]

Hello Sreekanth,

 

Thank you for sharing this really useful blog.

 

Could you please let us know,

When does SAP plan to fully replace Web IDE for HANA  with Business Application Studio?

 

Best Regards,

Ajay Verma

 

[SreekanthSurampally]

I haven't seen any update on BAS available for HANA on-premise. So it will be Web IDE for HANA for some more time.

[former_member749353]

Thanks Sreekanth for this response.

We are using SAP HANA Studio for HANA  On premise.

And as per SAP NOTE:2396214 - 

It is mentioned that, The SAP HANA application services for development, modelling and tooling will be changing. They will be based on the SAP HANA extended application services advanced mode (XSA).

And as per note, The following tools cannot be used with XS advanced and will be replaced by the SAP WebIDE for SAP HANA:

• 
  
  
  
  • SAP HANA Studio - Modeler perspective  
  
  
  • SAP HANA Studio - Development perspective  
  
  
  • SAP HANA Web-based development workbench
  
  
  
  


• The SAP WebIDE for SAP HANA cannot be used with XS classic.

Are you aware about any timelines by which this is mandated to be done? Do we have to compulsorily transition to WebIDE even if we are not using application development feature and use purely Native HANA and graphical calculation views using XS classic still? Is there any SAP NOTE , Official announcements on dates of the not using SAP HANA STUDIO over XSC environment?

 

 

 

[SreekanthSurampally]

SAP says, in the next major version XSC will be removed but not given any information about the timeline. If you are using HANA for just CV modeling then you are ok to be on XSC with HANA studio. but new features will be provided only in XS advanced with Web IDE for HANA only.

[former_member749353]

Thanks Sreekanth for your prompt response! Much helpful!

[SreekanthSurampally]

henry.banks In the latest updates, SAP team announced BAS availability for HANA on-premise will be ready by end of Q2 2023.

[RolandKramer]

Hello @SreekanthSurampally
see also my findings here - SapMachine and SAP HANA Studio and the Document - SAP First Guidance - Implementing BW-MT as the new SAP BW Modeling Experience.

also, my Apple experiences micht also be interesting for you - Apple M2 and real SAP Basis Support

best regards Roland, SAP first-guidance