Skip to Content
Technical Articles
Author's profile photo Olga Dolinskaja

ABAP Platform for SAP S/4HANA 2020

SAP S/4HANA 2020 was released on 7th of October to the SAP customer base.

ABAP Platform 2020 is the technology platform underlying SAP S/4HANA 2020 and is shipped as part of SAP S/4HANA 2020. In addition, ABAP Platform 2020 is part of SAP S/4HANA Foundation 2020 for SAP HANA-only Add-Ons.

ABAP Platform 2020 is not shipped as a standalone product. ABAP Platform 2020 consists of the AS ABAP, the ABAP Development Tools (ADT) in Eclipse and several additional technology components which are required to run SAP S/4HANA.

Previous SAP S/4HANA versions such as 1511, 1610, 1709, 1809 and 1909 can be upgraded to SAP S/4HANA 2020 which is based on ABAP Platform 2020.

ABAP Platform 2020 delivers innovations for the ABAP stack in different areas.

One of the major investment areas in the ABAP Platform is the ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model (RAP). RAP is the evolutionary successor of the ABAP Programming Model for SAP Fiori. It includes essential extensions of the ABAP language, development tools and frameworks which enable the efficient end-to-end development of intrinsically SAP HANA-optimized SAP Fiori applications and web services in AS ABAP. With ABAP Platform 2020, the ABAP RESTful Application Programming model now supports the managed scenario for developing greenfield applications with draft support, extended determination / validation support, extended optimistic locking (ETag), managed early numbering based on UUIDs, extended feature control and authorization.

ABAP Development Tools in Eclipse in ABAP Platform 2020 further improve developer productivity through support for BAdIs definitions and implementations, various source code editing enhancements like an editor for number range objects and support for the new CDS view entities. CDS view entities are the successor of CDS DDIC-based views and offer extensive and enhanced features. SAP recommends using CDS view entities instead of CDS DDIC-based view due to technical improvements, such as performance at activation, and so on. CDS Test Double Framework and ABAP SQL Test Double Framework also provide test support for CDS view entities.

Additional enrichment in the connectivity area is the support for Advanced Message Queuing Protocol (AMQP). The AMQP protocol was established to support robust and asynchronous messaging between various applications. The ABAP Platform 2020 provides an API to implement AMQP clients for ABAP applications. Using such an AMQP client, ABAP applications become able to exchange messages with other AMQP clients point to point or via a broker.

ABAP Platform 2020 offers also comprehensive enhancements in code analysis tools. The SAP Fiori Custom Code Migration App was extended to support custom code migration for SAP S/4HANA greenfield projects and enriched with the complexity analysis dashboard. Complexity analysis enables customers and partners to spot the top complex executables and development packages in custom code in order to identify candidates for redesign to save upcoming adaptation effort and future maintenance costs. The results of custom code analysis can be now uploaded to SAP Readiness Check 2.0. The Quick Fix comments in the ABAP Development Tools in Eclipse are targeted to keep the original source code after the semi-automated adaptation of custom code with Quick Fixes.

The SAP S/4HANA in-app extensibility was further optimized in the ABAP platform 2020 by offering support for XCO (“Extension Components”) library for efficient development experience and providing further improvements for custom business objects and custom fields and logic.

This document will be regularly updated. Stay tuned to be informed about the latest ABAP platform 2020 news.

 

Latest News

October 7th, 2020:  SAP S/4HANA 2020 based on ABAP platform 2020 is generally available!

 

At a Glance 

  • Foundation for SAP S/4HANA 2020, SAP HANA-only Add-Ons and custom applications
  • SAP S/4HANA versions such as 1511, 1610, 1709, 1809 and 1909 can be upgraded to SAP S/4HANA 2020.
  • No standalone ABAP platform installation supported
  • New ABA layer
  • Supports only SAP HANA database with full exploitation of its advanced capabilities
  • Continuous innovation without disruption
  • Seamless end-to-end development experience in Eclipse
  • Extensible to the cloud with SAP Business Technology Platform

 

Product Highlights

 

Overview Presentation

This presentation provides the official slide deck for ABAP Platform in SAP S/4HANA 2020 – Overview and Product Highlights.

 

Useful Blogs and Videos

Get started with the ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model (RAP)

Create CDS entities with reference

CDS view entities – The new CDS Views

How to extend SAP standard using ADT

Comments for the ADT Quick Fixes

Creating Knowledge Transfer Documents in ADT

Working with Knowledge Transfer Documents in ADT

New currency conversion function in ABAP SQL

ABAP SQL: Indicator Structures

Declaration of CX_NO_CHECK Exception in Raising Clause

Create a simple Daemon in ABAP

Custom code migration to SAP S/4HANA

 

Useful Links

Release Notes for ABAP Platform 2020

Documentation on SAP Help Portal

ABAP Keyword Documentation

Product Availability Matrix (PAM)

The ABAP Platform Strategy (2020 Update)

SAP Note 2913349 – ABAP Platform 2020 – General information

Assigned Tags

      22 Comments
      You must be Logged on to comment or reply to a post.
      Author's profile photo Stephan Heinberg
      Stephan Heinberg

      Thanks Olga!

      I heard from Andre Fischer that OData V4 support for RAP will be delivered with a feature pack.

      Are there plans that more features will be down ported or is this a onetime shot?

      Thanks,

      Stephan

      Author's profile photo Olga Dolinskaja
      Olga Dolinskaja
      Blog Post Author

      Hi Stephan,

      it can happen, that some features will be down ported as well over time. It depends on the customer need, technical feasibility on older release, our development capacity etc.

      Regards,

      Olga.

      Author's profile photo gregor palmer
      gregor palmer

      Before software development team https://mlsdev.com/services/web-development starts working on software, they need to determine a software development methodologies. Software development methodologies generally define the overall approach for solving software development issues, which software developers use for software development. They also define the scope of work, design documentation, testing process and software testing methods that will be used during software development process.

      Author's profile photo AjeethKumar R
      AjeethKumar R

      Thanks for the great blog. Quiet a lot informative.

      Author's profile photo Rodrigo Ariel Giner de la Vega
      Rodrigo Ariel Giner de la Vega

      But, ABAP RAP can't be used already in 1909 version on-premise ?

      Author's profile photo Olga Dolinskaja
      Olga Dolinskaja
      Blog Post Author

      Hi Rodrigo,

      correct, RAP can be already used in the SAP S/4HANA 1909 on-premise.

      Please note, that with the 1909 shipment RAP was delivered with reduced feature scope, focusing on the read-only apps and the development of unmanaged transactional apps based on existing application logic.

      With ABAP Platform 2020, the RAP feature scope was significantly enhanced now supporting the managed scenario for developing greenfield applications and draft handling.

      See for details the overview presentation linked in the blog above.

      Kind Regards,

      Olga.

      Author's profile photo Lars Hvam
      Lars Hvam

      Thanks,

       

      "No standalone ABAP platform installation supported"

       

      What does this entail?

      Any impact on the SAP NetWeaver AS ABAP Developer Edition?

      Customers running a standalone productive ABAP system, without business logic, will they be able to upgrade?

      Author's profile photo Shai Sinai
      Shai Sinai

      It seems that NW is basically dead and replaced with ABAP Platform (available only for S/4HANA).

      Check https://blogs.sap.com/2020/06/12/abap-platform-part-1-evolution-from-sap-netweaver/

      Author's profile photo Lars Hvam
      Lars Hvam

      okay, then if ABAP platform cannot be installed standalone, I wonder if there will be a developer edition?

      Author's profile photo Olga Dolinskaja
      Olga Dolinskaja
      Blog Post Author

      Hi Lars,

      it goes in the direction of offering the SAP Cloud Platform ABAP Environment Trial as modern trial environment for discovering new ABAP platform features. The last developer edition on-premise is AS ABAP 7.52 (currently SP04).

      Regards,

      Olga.

      Author's profile photo Lars Hvam
      Lars Hvam

      Update: the latest is now https://blogs.sap.com/2021/02/15/sap-abap-platform-1909-developer-edition-available-soon/

      Author's profile photo Michael Keller
      Michael Keller

      I ask myself the same thing, Lars Hvam . Besides, I'm a little worried 😉 An affordable test environment is a must. Better still a free test environment.

      If the environment is overloaded, it becomes difficult to concentrate on ABAP. At the moment I'm concerned that it will be more and more difficult to "just" teach ABAP to students for example.

      It's perhaps not a big thing to lower the entry barriers for ABAP beginners when you are a company (own systems, send your employees on courses and more). But students and just interested people have to solve many problems before they can have a look at ABAP 🙁

      I'm curious.

      Author's profile photo Roland Kramer
      Roland Kramer

      See the Blog – Upgrade to SAP S/4HANA 2020 – time to change how to go forward to SAP S/4 2020

      Best Regards Roland

      Author's profile photo Adi Mogilevsky
      Adi Mogilevsky

      SYD Tech Night SAP Inside Track on February 11th 2021event recordings available including SAP new ABAP RAP and more https://blogs.sap.com/2021/02/01/sitsyd-sap-tech-night-sydney-february-11th-2021/

        Topic Presenter Highlights
             
      1.

      My experiences with digital transformations and the significant role that SAP Integration Suite has played.

      Sneak peak

      Gopesh Bhutani, SAP Solution Architect/Developer – member of Sydney SAP Community

      SAP Cloud Platform Integration Suite is an essential pillar in the age of data. It is a game-changer, enabling new offerings for customers and new data insights for businesses.

      Join us to hear about my experiences of digitisations and how SAP Integration Suite (Platform Integration) has played a significant role in fulfilling clients’ ambitious visions.

       

             
      2.  ABAP Platform 2020 – Overview and Product Highlights. Carine Tchoutouo Djomo and Olga Dolinskaja, SAP Headquarters, Waldorf

      ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model

      Custom code adaptation for SAP S/4HANA

      Custom code migration to the SAP Cloud Platform ABAP Environment

      Q&A

      Author's profile photo Filipe Luna
      Filipe Luna

      Minor Edit, but in the referenced presentation "ABAP Platform in SAP S/4HANA 2020 – Overview and Product Highlights." - There is an error on page 16 with the link to the documentation for the Logon Pad.  It's pointing to the DRAFT version instead of the released version.  😉

       

      Author's profile photo Olga Dolinskaja
      Olga Dolinskaja
      Blog Post Author

      Hi Filipe,

      thanks for noticing that ☺️.  I've corrected the link.

      Regards,

      Olga.

      Author's profile photo Filipe Luna
      Filipe Luna

      I must apologize, because I failed to add an important comment at the end:  This article and all of the related articles in the presentation were outstanding.  It's not often that articles, presentations and additional documentation is so thoroughly researched and presented.  It is greatly appreciated!

      Author's profile photo Olga Dolinskaja
      Olga Dolinskaja
      Blog Post Author

      Thank you, Filipe, appreciate your feedback!

      Author's profile photo balasubramanian selvaraj
      balasubramanian selvaraj

      Hello Olga,

      Nice blog as usual!

      I have a question. We are planning to upgrade our existing S/4HANA 1709 FPS02 systems to 2020 FPS01.

      Is it possible to upgrade both Fiori and S4 systems directly to 2020 or we have to upgrade it to 1809 first?

      Kindly advise.

      Thanks,

      Bala

       

      Author's profile photo Olga Dolinskaja
      Olga Dolinskaja
      Blog Post Author

      Hi Bala,

      you can upgrade from SAP S/4HANA 1709 FPS02 directly to the SAP S/4HANA 2020 FPS01.

      Best Regards,

      Olga.

      Author's profile photo Florian Pfeffer
      Florian Pfeffer

      Hi Olga Dolinskaja,

      as describe in SAP Note 2912919 - SAP S/4HANA FOUNDATION 2020: Release Information Note - SAP ONE Support Launchpad, SAP S/4HANA foundation can only be used in combination with some specific AddOns, for instance for the FES  2020 for S/4HANA (as embedded installation).

      I ask myself, if the usage is only restricted to the listed products or if it is allowed to install customer and partner addons too (e.g. I have a S/4HANA foundation with FES2020 - which is allowed; am I allowed to installed partner addons on that system). I guess not 🙂

      If it would be allowed, is there a roadmap how long S/4HANA Foundations are supported/provided for the constellations described in the note?

      Thanks,
      Florian

      Author's profile photo Olga Dolinskaja
      Olga Dolinskaja
      Blog Post Author

      Hi Florian,

      the SAP S/4HANA FOUNDATION 2020 can be used only with Add-Ons, which are listed in the corresponding release SAP Note.

      Kind Regards,

      Olga.