sap-btp-developer-guide
SAP BTP Developer Guide Skill
Related Skills
- sap-btp-cloud-platform: Use for platform fundamentals, account management, and runtime configurations
- sap-btp-best-practices: Use for architectural guidance, governance models, and production patterns
- sap-cap-capire: Use for CAP development details, service definitions, and database integration
- sap-fiori-tools: Use for UI development, Fiori application setup, and frontend deployment
- sap-abap: Use for ABAP Cloud development, RAP patterns, and ABAP Environment specifics
- sap-btp-connectivity: Use for implementing secure connections to on-premise systems
Comprehensive guidance for developing, deploying, and operating business applications on SAP Business Technology Platform.
Table of Contents
Quick Navigation
- Table of Contents
- When to Use This Skill
- Runtime and Programming Model Selection
- Development Workflow
- Key Services and Tools
- Security Implementation
- Connectivity Patterns
- CI/CD Implementation
- Observability Implementation
- Tutorials and Missions
- Partner/ISV Development
- Common Errors and Solutions
- Bundled Resources
- Quick Reference Links
- Version Information
When to Use This Skill
Use when:
- Building new applications on SAP BTP (Cloud Foundry or Kyma runtime)
- Developing with SAP Cloud Application Programming Model (CAP)
- Building ABAP Cloud applications in SAP BTP ABAP Environment
- Deploying SAP Fiori or SAPUI5 user interfaces
- Connecting applications to SAP S/4HANA, SuccessFactors, or on-premise systems
- Building multitenant SaaS applications
- Implementing side-by-side extensions for SAP solutions
- Setting up CI/CD pipelines for SAP BTP
- Implementing observability with SAP Cloud ALM or SAP Cloud Logging
- Using SAP HANA Cloud for data persistence
Runtime and Programming Model Selection
For detailed runtime comparison: See references/runtimes.md
Decision Matrix
| Criteria | CAP (Cloud Foundry/Kyma) | ABAP Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Languages | Node.js, Java, TypeScript | ABAP |
| Best For | New cloud-native apps, extensions | Organizations with ABAP expertise |
| Runtime | Cloud Foundry or Kyma | SAP BTP ABAP Environment |
| Persistence | SAP HANA Cloud, PostgreSQL | SAP HANA Cloud (ABAP-managed) |
| UI Framework | SAP Fiori Elements, SAPUI5 | SAP Fiori Elements, SAPUI5 |
| IDE | SAP Business Application Studio, VS Code | ABAP Development Tools (Eclipse) |
CAP Application Development
CAP provides three operational profiles:
- Development: Mock services, minimal setup, SQLite/H2 for local testing
- Hybrid: Local app connected to cloud services
- Production: Full cloud deployment with SAP HANA Cloud
Key capabilities:
- Domain-driven design with CDS (Core Data Services)
- Built-in multitenancy support
- Automatic OData/REST service generation
- Platform-agnostic design (no vendor lock-in)
For CAP details: See references/cap-development.md
ABAP Cloud Development
ABAP Cloud uses four foundational technologies:
- Core Data Services (CDS) - Data modeling and analytics
- ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model (RAP) - Service-oriented development
- Restricted ABAP Language - Cloud-safe API access
- Released Public APIs - Upgrade-stable extensions
For ABAP details: See references/abap-cloud.md
Development Workflow
Phase 1: Explore and Discover
- Identify business problem - Conduct stakeholder interviews
- Understand user needs - Visit customers, observe workflows
- Define security requirements - Threat modeling, compliance planning (GDPR, HIPAA)
- Establish governance - Set up organizational structure
Phase 2: Design
-
User Experience Design
- Follow SAP Fiori Design Guidelines
- Implement accessibility (WCAG 2.2)
- Use design thinking methodology
-
Technology Design
- Apply Domain-Driven Design for complex applications (30+ use cases)
- Define module boundaries and communication patterns
- Plan microservices architecture if needed
-
Security in Design
- Secure user interfaces with SAP Fiori authentication
- Implement RBAC/ABAC using OAuth/OpenID Connect
- Validate CDS models for data protection
For design patterns: See references/design-patterns.md
Phase 3: Develop
CAP Development:
# Initialize CAP project
cds init my-project
cd my-project
# Add SAP HANA support
cds add hana
# Add authentication
cds add xsuaa
# Run locally
cds watch
Key development tools:
- SAP Business Application Studio (primary IDE)
- SAP Cloud SDK (OData/OpenAPI clients)
- MTA Build Tool (packaging)
Coding standards:
- Follow SAPUI5 Guidelines and SAP Fiori Design Guidelines
- Establish naming conventions
- Implement parameterized queries (prevent SQL injection)
- Use CDS constraints for input validation
For tools catalog: See references/tools.md
Phase 4: Deploy
Cloud Foundry Deployment:
# Build MTA archive
mbt build
# Deploy to Cloud Foundry
cf deploy mta_archives/my-project_1.0.0.mtar
Kyma Deployment:
# Use Helm charts or Terraform
terraform init
terraform apply
ABAP Deployment:
- Use Manage Software Components app (gCTS)
- Transport via Landscape Portal
- Partner options: Multitenant SaaS or Add-on Product
For deployment details: See references/deployment.md
Phase 5: Run and Scale
Monitoring:
- SAP Cloud ALM (central observability)
- SAP Cloud Logging (detailed logs, metrics, traces)
- ABAP Technical Monitoring Cockpit
Scaling:
- Cloud Foundry: Automatic instance distribution across AZs
- Kyma: Kubernetes-native scaling
- ABAP: Elastic scaling with ACUs (0.5 ACU increments)
Cost optimization:
- System hibernation (ABAP) - reduce to <5% operational cost
- SAP HANA Cloud Native Storage Extension
- Elastic Compute Nodes for peak workloads
For operations: See references/operations.md
Key Services and Tools
Platform Services
| Service | Purpose |
|---|---|
| SAP HANA Cloud | Database-as-a-Service, multi-model |
| SAP Connectivity Service | On-premise/VPC connections via Cloud Connector |
| SAP Destination Service | Routing, authentication management |
| SAP Event Mesh | Event distribution between applications |
| SAP Integration Suite | API Management, Cloud Integration |
Development Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| SAP Business Application Studio | Primary cloud IDE |
| SAP Build | Low-code/no-code development |
| Cloud Foundry CLI | CF deployment and management |
| kubectl/Helm | Kyma/Kubernetes management |
| Terraform Provider for SAP BTP | Infrastructure as code |
For architecture details: See references/architecture.md
Security Implementation
CAP Security Features
- Parameterized queries (SQL injection prevention)
- CSRF protection for UI applications
- Built-in authentication/authorization frameworks
- SAP Credential Store for secrets management
Security Guidelines
- Secure environment configuration - Restrict network access
- Security testing - Penetration testing before go-live
- Secure deployment pipelines - Code scanning, dependency validation
- Secrets management - Use SAP Credential Store
For security details: See references/security.md
Connectivity Patterns
Cloud-to-On-Premise
- SAP Connectivity Service + Cloud Connector
- User propagation supported
- Protocols: HTTP, RFC, LDAP, FTP
Cloud-to-Cloud
- SAP Destination Service for routing
- OAuth token management
- SAP Transparent Proxy for Kubernetes
For connectivity details: See references/connectivity.md
CI/CD Implementation
SAP Continuous Integration and Delivery provides pre-configured pipelines:
- Cloud Foundry Environment jobs (SAP Fiori, CAP)
- SAP Fiori for ABAP Platform jobs
- SAP Integration Suite Artifacts jobs
Setup steps:
- Enable in SAP BTP cockpit
- Assign Administrator/Developer roles
- Configure repository credentials (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure Repos)
- Add repositories and create jobs
- Configure webhooks for automated builds
For CI/CD details: See references/cicd.md
Observability Implementation
Central Layer (SAP Cloud ALM)
- Real User Monitoring
- Health Monitoring
- Integration and Exception Monitoring
- Synthetic User Monitoring
Local Layer (SAP Cloud Logging)
- Log Analytics (OpenSearch-based)
- Distributed tracing
- Custom dashboards and alerting
OpenTelemetry is the industry standard for instrumentation.
For observability details: See references/observability.md
Tutorials and Missions
CAP Learning Path
- Starter Mission: Full-Stack CAP Application
- Extension Mission: Side-by-Side CAP-Based Extensions
- Enterprise Mission: Change Tracking, Audit Logging, Attachments
- Multitenant Mission: SaaS Application Development
- Observability Mission: SAP Cloud Logging Integration
ABAP Learning Path
- RAP100 Basics: Fiori apps, OData services, business logic
- RAP100 Intermediate: Actions, dynamic feature control, unit testing
- RAP120: AI-assisted development with SAP Joule
- Analytics: CDS views with SAP Analytics Cloud
Sample applications:
- Incident Management (CAP)
- Flight Reference Scenario (ABAP)
- Poetry Slam Manager (Partner SaaS)
For tutorial details: See references/tutorials.md
Bundled Resources
File Structure
sap-btp-developer-guide/
├── SKILL.md # This file - Main guidance
├── README.md # Quick reference with auto-trigger keywords
└── references/ # Detailed guides (22 files)
├── Architecture & Setup
│ ├── architecture.md # Platform services and architecture
│ ├── runtimes.md # Runtime comparison (CF vs Kyma vs ABAP)
│ ├── setup.md # BTP landscape setup and Terraform
│ └── tools.md # Development tools catalog
├── Development
│ ├── cap-development.md # CAP development guide
│ ├── abap-cloud.md # ABAP Cloud development guide
│ ├── design-patterns.md # Design patterns and DDD
│ ├── extensions.md # SAP solution extensions
│ ├── mta.md # Multitarget applications
│ ├── testing.md # Testing strategies
│ └── ux-design.md # UX design and Fiori
├── Integration & Security
│ ├── connectivity.md # Connectivity patterns
│ ├── security.md # Security implementation
│ ├── hana-cloud.md # SAP HANA Cloud
│ └── resilience.md # Resilience patterns
├── Deployment & Operations
│ ├── deployment.md # Deployment options
│ ├── cicd.md # CI/CD pipelines
│ ├── observability.md # Monitoring and logging
│ ├── operations.md # Operations and scaling
│ └── partners.md # ISV/Partner development
└── Additional Resources
├── tutorials.md # Learning paths and missions
└── whats-new.md # Changelog and updates
Reference Files by Category
Architecture & Platform (4 files)
architecture.md- Platform services overview and architecture patternsruntimes.md- Runtime comparison and selection guidesetup.md- BTP landscape setup with sizing recommendationstools.md- Complete development tools catalog
Development (8 files)
cap-development.md- CAP development with Node.js/Javaabap-cloud.md- ABAP Cloud development with RAPdesign-patterns.md- Domain-driven design and patternsextensions.md- Side-by-side extensions for SAP solutionsmta.md- Multitarget application packagingtesting.md- Testing strategies and frameworksux-design.md- SAP Fiori UX design guidelines
Integration & Security (4 files)
connectivity.md- Cloud-to-on-premise connectivitysecurity.md- Authentication, authorization, and securityhana-cloud.md- SAP HANA Cloud databaseresilience.md- Application resilience patterns
Deployment & Operations (5 files)
deployment.md- Deployment to CF, Kyma, and ABAPcicd.md- CI/CD pipelines with SAP toolsobservability.md- Monitoring, logging, and tracingoperations.md- Operations, scaling, and cost optimizationpartners.md- ISV/partner development guidelines
Learning & Updates (2 files)
tutorials.md- Hands-on missions and tutorialswhats-new.md- Latest features and changelog
Partner/ISV Development
Deployment Options
- Multitenant SaaS - Cloud service operated in partner's global account
- Add-on Product - Installed in customer's ABAP environment
Requirements
- SAP PartnerEdge Build contract
- Registered ABAP namespace (mandatory)
- Landscape Portal for lifecycle management
For partner details: See references/partners.md
Quick Reference Links
Official Documentation:
- SAP BTP Help: https://help.sap.com/docs/btp
- CAP Documentation: https://cap.cloud.sap/docs/
- SAP Discovery Center: https://discovery-center.cloud.sap/
- SAP API Business Hub: https://api.sap.com/
Design Resources:
- SAP Fiori Design: https://experience.sap.com/fiori-design-web/
- SAPUI5 SDK: https://sapui5.hana.ondemand.com/
Learning:
- SAP Developers: https://developers.sap.com/
- SAP Learning: https://learning.sap.com/
Source Documentation:
- This skill is based on: https://github.com/SAP-docs/btp-developer-guide
Common Errors and Solutions
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Third-party cookie issues | Browser deprecation | See SAP Note 3409306 |
| XSUAA binding failures | Missing service instance | Run cf create-service xsuaa application |
| HANA deployment errors | Wrong target container | Check requires in mta.yaml |
| ATC Priority 1 findings | Non-cloud-compliant code | Use ABAP_CLOUD_DEVELOPMENT_DEFAULT variant |
Version Information
- Skill Version: 1.1.0
- Last Verified: 2025-11-27
- Source Last Updated: 2025-11-21
- Based On: SAP BTP Developer Guide (https://github.com/SAP-docs/btp-developer-guide)
- Next Review: 2026-02-21