Fresh UI5 innovations every month

[OliverGraeff]

SAP delivers SAPUI5 / OpenUI5 with maintenance and innovation versions on several platforms and environments.

Recently we received customer feedback and understand the request to consume UI5 innovations not only on a quarterly basis, but earlier and in a way which fits better to the consumer's schedule. With this approach we support agile projects on platforms like SAP Cloud Platform and also streamline SAP's own continuous delivery process. UI5 introduces an increased delivery frequency with monthly releases after version 1.60. This enables you to consume new features sooner, while at the same time you can ensure stability with a long-term maintenance version, just like you are doing today for your productive environments.

For this the version number will be increased by 1 for each version (instead of 2 as it is now): 1.60 -> 1.61 -> 1.62 -> ...

Every month SAP releases a new version of UI5 for productive usage on SAP Cloud Platform via ui5.sap.com All these versions meet the same quality standard.

• There is a new version every month containing new innovations & features. Bugs in this version will be fixed in the next version.


• Besides this regular approach for bug fixes, the versions are patched in case show stoppers are reported.


• There is one long-term maintenance version per year. This version is recommended for productive / stable environments and is supplied with approx. bi-weekly patches (as needed). You might notice that here there is no change to the current maintenance strategy.

Picture: Cloud Versions and Patches

 

For SAP NetWeaver AS for ABAP there is also no change in delivering a new version every 6 months, see details in SAP note 221489

• One version per year, containing the latest features. This version is maintained until the next version.


• One long-term maintenance version per year with an extended maintenance period.

For details on this versioning and maintenance strategy please see the UI5 Demo Kit. The current versions according to this concept are listed in the SAPUI5 Versions Maintenance Status

What does this mean?

These monthly versions are fully qualified UI5 versions that can be used for productive scenarios on SAP Cloud Platform. This is not just about increasing the delivery frequency, there are several measures and process changes in SAP which ensure higher quality standards that are required for this approach. Also bug fixes are provided: in case of show stopper problems, there will be immediate patches to such an innovation version. For regular problems, the next UI5 version will contain the required fixes.

For onPremise usage, there is no change at all. On top of the mentioned maintenance release, there is a second UI5 version per year that will be released with the SP0 of the UI Extension Program / FES. This is going to be maintained for 6 months until the next stable version is available. Therefore there is no regression/reduction for any customer.

Regarding API changes: In case SAP potentially intends to change an API based on customer feedback, there will be special mechanisms like feature flags that customers specifically have to turn on to consume such an API. All other newly released APIs have the standard compatibility promise.

So what does this mean for you when consuming SAPUI5 or OpenUI5?

You already have the existing option to rely on a long-term maintenance version. On top, you gain the option to consume new UI5 innovations and e.g. have access to the latest evolution of Fiori design for your projects.

 

Taste the difference, try fresh UI5 innovations every month!

(Updated terminology on 18. Jan 2019 for clarification)