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Thomas Schneider
November 19, 2021 | 5 minute read

New ABAP Platform Extensibility Options in

2021
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In 2021, new extensibility options were added to the ABAP platform, increasing the power of
 Like creating extensions in the Cloud. In this blog post, I want to give an overview on the available
extensibility options and also tell you which options are available where.
In the following �gure, you can �nd an overview on the extensibility options that are available
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Extensibility Options of the ABAP Platform

C l a ss i c Ex t e n s i b i l i ty
Starting point of my blog is the classic extensibility option of the ABAP platform. Available on the
market since the �rst SAP releases, it is a cornerstone of SAP´s market success for SAP R/3,
SAP ERP, and SAP S/4HANA on-premise. Classic extensibility includes a long list of extensions
techniques that were developed and leveraged by application development over time. Classical
extensibility is very powerful, because it enables you to extend SAP applications (from extension
includes extending database tables, code extensions via user exits, class extensions, BAdIs, … UI
extensions and many more) and to use (call) all kind of SAP code (BAPIs, function modules,
classes, …). Even modi�cations of SAP code are part of the toolbox of classic extensibility. On the
other hand, classic extensions are di�cult to maintain and cause major e�ort for regression
testing and adaptation when SAP upgrades and updates are applied.
In the document Extensibility Guide for SAP S/4HANA Cloud, extended edition, extension
techniques of the classic extensibility are classi�ed as critical for the lifecycle management and
operations (“red”) or less critical (“yellow”). For example, modi�cations are classi�ed as “red”
extension techniques, while implementations for non-released BAdIs or classic user exits are
classi�ed as yellow. The document was written for SAP S/4HANA Cloud, extended edition, but it
can also be used as guidance for on-premise. “Red” extension techniques should only be used is
there is no viable alternative (in SAP S/4HANA Cloud, extended edition they are forbidden), while
yellow extension techniques may be still tolerated.

E x t e n s i b i l i t y O p t i o n s w i t h S A P S /4 H A N A

Together with SAP S/4HANA, new extension options were rolled out that allow lifecycle-save,
cloud-ready extensibility:

• In-app Key User extensibility

• Side-by-Side Extensibility on the SAP BTP

Key user extensibility is available since 2015 for S/4HANA Cloud & on-premise. It is designed for
speci�c use cases (often the so-called last mile adaptations). The key user extensibility tools are
hiding the underlying complexity from the user. It is designed for experts in business
departments or implementation consultant with a high process knowledge. It uses local released,
lifecycle-stable APIs and extension points only. Therefore, key user extensions can be considered
as clean/green code.
Since 2014, side-by-side extensibility on SAP BTP (at that time named SAP HANA Cloud
Platform) is available. You can use developer or no-code/low code tools and various technology
platforms to build loosely coupled extensions using remote released and lifecycle-stable APIs
and events for integrating with SAP S/4HANA. With side-by-side extensibility you can leverage
skills and resources of your workforce, for example in Java or integration development, and the
services and resources  that are available on SAP BTP. With side-by-side extensibility, you can
�exibly call-o� resources for the respective runtime environment in SAP BTP. Resources can be
scaled without impact on the core system. This means you can “keep the core clean” also with
the aspects of workload and performance.
In 2018, SAP added ABAP to the SAP BTP, called SAP BTP ABAP Environment or by its project
name: Steampunk. Steampunk comes with Eclipse-based ABAP Developer Tools and the ABAP
language version ABAP for Cloud Development. In this language version, only released APIs and
objects (such as data types) of the ABAP platform can be consumed. Remote released APIs and
events are used for integrating with SAP S/4HANA (same as for other side-by-side extensions).

This was the story my colleagues and I were telling in numerous sessions, blogs, mails, … (see
SAP S/4HANA Extensibility: A Learning Journey for a collection of resources). But now lets look
at the great new options that have been introduced in 2021!

2021

W h a t d i d c h a n g e i n 2 0 2 1 – f o r S A P S /4 H A N A C l o u d ?
The ABAP development environment was made available in SAP S/4HANA Cloud named the SAP
S/4HANA Cloud ABAP Environment (aka Embedded Steampunk). This option is available as of
2108 for early adopter customers. In the �gure and in the documentation of SAP S/4HANA
Cloud, you can �nd it under the name Developer Extensibility. This option closes the gap that
existed between the in-app key user extensibility option and the side-by-side extensibility option.
It is based on the same language version (ABAP for Cloud Development) as Steampunk, but in
the embedded option, you have direct access to local released APIs and extension points of SAP
S/4HANA. A nice overview on the evolution can be found in Steampunk is going all-in.

W h a t d i d c h a n g e i n 2 0 2 1 – f o r S A P S /4 H A N A o n - p re m i s e ?
In my blog Restricted ABAP and SAP S/4HANA On-Premise I discussed the use of the ABAP
language version ABAP for Cloud Development in on-premise. Using this language version in on-
premise helps you to create clean/green code already in your on premise system to make your
extension more update-save and prepare for a move into the Cloud. Up to now, the use of the
ABAP language version ABAP for Cloud Development in on-premise had the big disadvantage
that only APIs from the ABAP platform were released and could therefore be used, but no APIs
and extension points from the SAP S/4HANA layer. This changed in the version 2021. In this
version SAP S/4HANA application development released about 2.500 CDS views, 200
enhancement spots (with BAdIs) and numerous objects such as data types, domains,
authorization objects, … . In addition, 11 RAP business object interfaces (behavior de�nitions) are
released. RAP business object interfaces are the successor of classical BAdIs in the world of the
RESTful ABAP programming model (RAP)  . The scope of released APIs in 2021 is of course not
comparable with the huge amount of functionality that you can access in classic extensibility –
but is a starting point for your clean code that can grow over time.

W h a t d i d c h a n ge i n 2 0 2 1 – fo r SA P a n d p a r t n e r ex t e n s i o n s b u i l t o n SA P BT P A BA P
E n v i ro n m e n t ?
Partners (or SAP) can create their (side-by-side) extension on SAP BTP ABAP Environment and
provide it to many customers. To be able to do this in a cost-e�cient manner, multi-tenancy for
the SAP BTP ABAP Environment was introduced. Since release 2108, you as a partner can enable
your partner solution on SAP BTP ABAP Environment for extensibility and let your customers
extend them using key user tools in a multitenancy environment. This is described in my blog
post Extending the Extension – Key User Extensibility for SAP BTP ABAP Environment.

The following �gures shows which extensibility option is available for which product.
 Extensibility Options: Which Option is Available Where

All in all, 2021 will be another turning point for extensibility of ABAP-based solutions in the Cloud.
From the viewpoint of the extensibility options, the picture is now complete. Now the crucial
point is to increase the amount of released APIs and extension points and to close the remaining
gaps in the toolsets for developer and key user extensibility.
Alert Moderator

Assigned Tags

ABAP Extensibility | ABAP Development | SAP BTP, ABAP environment | SAP Business Technology Platform |

SAP S/4HANA | SAP S/4HANA Cloud | #Extensibility

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24 Comments

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Edo von Glan

November 22, 2021 at 11:15 am
What is meant with "extension point"? ENHANCMENT-POINTs / ENHANCEMENT-SECTIONs?

Like 1 | Share
Thomas Schneider | Blog Post Author
November 22, 2021 at 4:38 pm

I use it here in a much broader scope: in classic extensibility these can be enhancement points and options, BAdIs,
class extensions, user exits, and some application speci�c extension techniques.

In developer / key user extensibility for code extensions, only BAdis are allowed, and planned for the future RAP
extensibility.

Like 0 | Share

Edo von Glan

November 23, 2021 at 4:17 pm

Thanks for the info.

"Class extensions" are also the pre- and post-methods that are available for any class?

Like 0 | Share

Thomas Schneider | Blog Post Author

November 24, 2021 at 6:41 am

yes

Like 0 | Share
 Luis Becker
December 19, 2021 at 11:16 pm

Thomas Schneider , good to see some honest comments here:

"The scope of released APIs in 2021 is of course not comparable with the huge amount of functionality that you can access
in classic extensibility – but is a starting point for your clean code that can grow over time"

I'm implementing S4 HANA 2020, and still having to use old CMOD exits due to the absolute lack of options. And SAP itself
is still releasing notes recommending the implementation of old SD user exits in support notes (see note 3046057).

While I admire the e�ort of SAP of going to the cloud, this is still a drop in the ocean of legacy code. Developers will still
face the challenge of doing a ABAP RESTful app one day and going back to old legacy the other day. We can't replicate
(and don't have enough APIs and extensions) to do everything "side-by-side".

Like 0 | Share

Thomas Schneider | Blog Post Author

December 20, 2021 at 7:46 am

Fair statement. But every journey starts with the �rst step. For the S/4HANA Cloud scope, SAP already o�ers a
good o�ering for lifecycle-stable extensibility (the existing S/4HANA Cloud customers prove that), but for the on-
premise scope there is still a long way to go.

Like 0 | Share

Frédéric GAUTIER
January 4, 2022 at 10:00 am

Hi Thomas,

Is embedded Steampunk already available  in S/4HANA  on prem 2021 ? To work already on eSteampunk on prem , do I
only have to switch the ABAP language version to "ABAP for cloud development" ?  or will I have to migrate these  "clean
code" objects  later   to eSteampunk  ?

Thank you.

Like 0 | Share

Thomas Schneider | Blog Post Author

January 10, 2022 at 8:57 am

Hi Frédéric,

Steampunk/Embedded Steampunk has several aspects:

1. use the modern ABAP programming model (i.e. RAP instead of SAPGUI)
 2. use the modern ABAP development environment (i.e. Eclipse-based development tools instead of
SAPGUI/SE80 tools)
3. use language version to "ABAP for cloud development". This includes a limited feature set of the ABAP
language and the restriction to use released APIs only
4. use "modern" re-use services which can be used in Cloud and on-premise

You can immediately start with 1) and 2) in SAP S/4HANA on-premise 2021. The RAP programming model and the
ADT tools are now ready for mass usage.

On 3) you can use the language version to "ABAP for cloud development", but as mentioned in the blog and in the
previous comments, the list of released APIs is still limited. So you can start but you cannot do a complete change
by now. And there is another technical limitation. You can switch the language version for ABAP code objects
(classes, interfaces, ...) but not for DDIC/CDS objects. So you can use the language version to "ABAP for cloud
development" for new objects, but not change it afterwards. This is another limitation that must be removed in
future releases to make full bene�t of the concept of  Embedded Steampunk in on-premise.

Best regards,

Thomas

Like 0 | Share

M. Happé
January 11, 2022 at 9:38 pm

Hi Thomas,

Within the use of custom logic there is below BADI:

 Custom logic

With documentation:

Badi documentation

How to add transient �elds to a business object ( for example for object Sales: Billing document)? With the customf �elds
app we are only allowed to add persistent �elds. So where to add those transient �elds?

Thanks in advance!

Mattijs Happé

Like 0 | Share

Thomas Schneider | Blog Post Author

January 13, 2022 at 7:25 am
 Hi Matthijs,

this is an excellent example. In the key user app Custom Fields and Logic, you can only add persistent custom
�elds. But if you create a �eld of type code list, or currency, some transient �elds (ie. description �elds) are added
automatically.

Best regards,

Thomas

Like 0 | Share

Peter Asigbetse
January 13, 2022 at 12:06 pm

Excellent and information blog post Thomas Schneider. I wonder if you could use your expertise to help clarify a few things
for me please?

1. Am I correct that o n l y SAP S/4HANA Cloud, extended edition allows SAP GUI access and ABAP development?
2. Is it possible, for SAP S/4HANA Cloud, extended edition, to import 3rd party solutions transports where the solution
is under a registered /namespace/ but is not supplied as Add-ons but rather transports? Normally in the on-premise
these transports would be imported into the system?
3. Can one create a custom RFC? And is it recommended or there's a preferred approach with RAP or something
else...bearing in mind this is custom code that would be called

Thanks in advance,

Peter

Like 0 | Share

Thomas Schneider | Blog Post Author

January 18, 2022 at 10:51 am

1. SAP GUI access is possible for S/4HANA on-premise, SAP S/4HANA Cloud, extended edition, and SAP
S/4HANA Cloud, provate Cloud. ABAP development with ADT is also possible for SAP S/4HANA Cloud
(public cloud), released as of 2108 for early adopter customers.
2. Unfortunately I cannot answer this question. I am not a product/contract expert for SAP S/4HANA Cloud,
extended edition. As this is a very speci�c question, it should be discussed directly when planning the
project.
3. Custom RFCs are supported in Steampunk/Embedded Steampunk. Doku RFC Server Doku oder RFC Client
Doku

Like 0 | Share

Peter Asigbetse
January 18, 2022 at 11:13 am
 Thanks Thomas!

Like 0 | Share

Roger Sainsbury
June 17, 2022 at 7:29 am

Hi Thomas,

Does embedded steampunk support the creation of OData services using the @OData.publish: true annotation? Or must
RAP be used? This is for a read-only scenario.

thanks, Roger

Like 0 | Share

Thomas Schneider | Blog Post Author

June 21, 2022 at 5:49 am

Hi Roger,

OData.publish is retired. You always create a service de�nition & binding. With this concept you get a much better
�exibility (explicite de�nition of entities you want to expose, type of OData services: v2/v4, UI or API service, ...).

Best regards,

Thomas

Like 0 | Share

Roger Sainsbury
June 21, 2022 at 7:32 am

Thanks Thomas, good to know.

However I notice if we use Key-User extensibility app F1866A ‘Custom CDS Views’, and choose to create
an API, then it produces a CDS view with @OData.publish: true. So I guess that's still a valid option to
produce a read-only API?

Like 0 | Share

Thomas Schneider | Blog Post Author

June 21, 2022 at 3:22 pm

Yes this is true. the key user tools are still using @OData.publish: true. The will be migrated in the
future. But you asked for Embedded Steampunk. Here @OData.publish: true is no longer
 supported.

Please use service de�nition/services binding instead.

Like 0 | Share

Roger Sainsbury
June 21, 2022 at 3:33 pm

Perfect thanks for con�rming. My customer's currently using S/4H on-prem, but we want to future-proof our
developments as far as possible.

Like 0 | Share

Johannes Bacher
June 29, 2022 at 5:27 pm

Dear Thomas,

The URL for Deveoper Extensibility in your blog is not working. Maybe you can update this?

I am (desperately) looking for some documentation on developer extensibility, namely a list of internal APIs or extension
points, to check what is possible.

I have a speci�c customer case where some modi�cations of an SD order item are impossible in key user extensibility, and
they would like to know if this can be achieve by using developer extensibility (and moving to the new 3SL with steampunk
of course).

Can you provide some Links or documentation on the internal APIs we would have with developer extensibility?

Thank you,

Johannes

Like 1 | Share

Cameron HUNT
July 9, 2022 at 4:17 pm

Hello @Thomas Schneider, and thanks for this update on new S/4HANA Cloud extension possibilities.
In terms of SAP's strategy going forward, I have a question: I can only imagine that SAP is likely to publish far more "new"
Events within the existing framework of S/4HANA (Cloud) Enterprise Event Enablement, than it is likely to publish new
BAdIs/Enhancement Spots (I could even imagine a ratio of up to 10-20 new Events for every 1 new BAdI released)?

If it is indeed correct that far more "new" Events will be published in the future (in line with SAP's move towards full EDA
support) than new BAdIs, doesn't this suggest that Side-by-Side Extensibility remains our most 'complete' extension
solution in the decades to come?

Thanks, Cameron HUNT

Like 0 | Share

Thomas Schneider | Blog Post Author

July 12, 2022 at 7:17 am

This is a good question. IMHO a pure count of events versus BADIs does not make much sense, because the
granularity might be very di�erent.

But I can answer your question whether "Side-by-Side Extensibility remains the most 'complete' extension
solution". This is not the case. In principle SAP application should provide remote APIs and events and local APIs
and BADIs. Of course, this is a general guidance, at a certain point in time their may be some di�erences. Or their
may be also use cases where remote/local APIs do not make sense. For example, their may be some BADI use
cases where in event simply does not make sense (or vice versa).

Best regards,

Thomas

Like 0 | Share

Cameron HUNT
July 12, 2022 at 7:38 am
Thanks for your response Thomas Schneider. I think you touch on the point I was trying to make with your
statement that "their may be some BADI use cases where in event simply does not make sense...".

Thomas Schneider | Blog Post Author

This seems to suggest, as I suspect, that even if a company changes to the very latest o�ering of SAP,
July 12, 2022 at 8:28 am
Developer Extensibility, if there is no BAdI, there is no extension. So even if companies have Developer
One simple example:
Extensibility/eSteampunk there
(and are many
I doubt this is BADIs that
a simple allow synchronous
lift-and-shift), calculation
they will oroften
in any case validation
be (e.g.
requiredchecking data �elds
to put in place and sendingExtensibility
full Side-by-Side a custom error/warning
for at least 1 message).
use case. IMHO nobody would want to
implement this using events and asynchronous processing on SAP BTP. So this is a typical use
And oncecase
youfor in-app
have key user or
Side-by-Side developer extensibility.
Extensibility, including a mandatory instance of BTP Event Mesh, why
bother with Developer Extensibility at all ? Why not switch to full EDA (as is happening elsewhere at pace)
Onabout
and forget the other hand, SAP
the latest thereo�ering
may bewhich
applications where
in any case it makes
cannot sensetotoallimplement
respond future usethem
caseson SAP
(whereasBTP.
we can anticipate more and more Events being published by SAP, regardless of their
"granularity") ?
Regards, Thomas
Regards, Cameron
.
Like 0 | Share

Like 0 | Share

Cameron HUNT
July 12, 2022 at 9:22 am

Hello again Thomas Schneider. It seems to me that people often confuse Asynchronous
with slow, but this is far from the reality. It is worth making the comparison with Fiori
Apps. If you create a Purchase Order using UI5, ALL communication with the Backend
ERP -- including both calculations and validations -- is Asynchronous. When you hit the
Save button on your FioriFind us(which
App on triggers a UI5 'Saved' Event), there is Asynchronous
communication with the Backend, and once all the work has been done in the Backend,
you are provided a popup in your web browser/Frontend showing you the new PO
number.
Privacy Terms of Use
If Asynchronous communication is unworkably slow, the entire technical foundation of
Legal Disclosure UI5 represents a very large error made by SAP ?
Copyright

Trademark Regards, Cameron Cookie Preferences

Newsletter PS If there is In-App extensibility (i.e. Classic BAdIs) available, of course no one should
Support
hesitate to use it: it doesn't require an additional ABAP Server (i.e. eSteampunk) running
alongside a closed ABAP Server, communicating via RFC (?).