Comprehensive guidance for developing, deploying, and operating business applications on SAP Business Technology Platform.
Table of Contents
Quick Navigation
When to Use This Skill
Use when:
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Building new applications on SAP BTP (Cloud Foundry or Kyma runtime)
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Developing with SAP Cloud Application Programming Model (CAP)
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Building ABAP Cloud applications in SAP BTP ABAP Environment
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Deploying SAP Fiori or SAPUI5 user interfaces
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Connecting applications to SAP S/4HANA, SuccessFactors, or on-premise systems
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Building multitenant SaaS applications
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Implementing side-by-side extensions for SAP solutions
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Setting up CI/CD pipelines for SAP BTP
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Implementing observability with SAP Cloud ALM or SAP Cloud Logging
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Using SAP HANA Cloud for data persistence
Runtime and Programming Model Selection
For detailed runtime comparison: See references/runtimes.md
Decision Matrix
| 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:
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Development: Mock services, minimal setup, SQLite/H2 for local testing
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Hybrid: Local app connected to cloud services
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Production: Full cloud deployment with SAP HANA Cloud
Key capabilities:
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Domain-driven design with CDS (Core Data Services)
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Built-in multitenancy support
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Automatic OData/REST service generation
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Platform-agnostic design (no vendor lock-in)
For CAP details: See references/cap-development.md
ABAP Cloud Development
ABAP Cloud uses four foundational technologies:
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Core Data Services (CDS) - Data modeling and analytics
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ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model (RAP) - Service-oriented development
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Restricted ABAP Language - Cloud-safe API access
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Released Public APIs - Upgrade-stable extensions
For ABAP details: See references/abap-cloud.md
Development Workflow
Phase 1: Explore and Discover
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Identify business problem - Conduct stakeholder interviews
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Understand user needs - Visit customers, observe workflows
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Define security requirements - Threat modeling, compliance planning (GDPR, HIPAA)
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Establish governance - Set up organizational structure
Phase 2: Design
- User Experience Design
Follow SAP Fiori Design Guidelines
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Implement accessibility (WCAG 2.2)
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Use design thinking methodology
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Technology Design
Apply Domain-Driven Design for complex applications (30+ use cases)
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Define module boundaries and communication patterns
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Plan microservices architecture if needed
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Security in Design
Secure user interfaces with SAP Fiori authentication
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Implement RBAC/ABAC using OAuth/OpenID Connect
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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:
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SAP Business Application Studio (primary IDE)
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SAP Cloud SDK (OData/OpenAPI clients)
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MTA Build Tool (packaging)
Coding standards:
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Follow SAPUI5 Guidelines and SAP Fiori Design Guidelines
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Establish naming conventions
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Implement parameterized queries (prevent SQL injection)
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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:
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Use Manage Software Components app (gCTS)
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Transport via Landscape Portal
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Partner options: Multitenant SaaS or Add-on Product
For deployment details: See references/deployment.md
Phase 5: Run and Scale
Monitoring:
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SAP Cloud ALM (central observability)
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SAP Cloud Logging (detailed logs, metrics, traces)
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ABAP Technical Monitoring Cockpit
Scaling:
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Cloud Foundry: Automatic instance distribution across AZs
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Kyma: Kubernetes-native scaling
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ABAP: Elastic scaling with ACUs (0.5 ACU increments)
Cost optimization:
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System hibernation (ABAP) - reduce to <5% operational cost
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SAP HANA Cloud Native Storage Extension
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Elastic Compute Nodes for peak workloads
For operations: See references/operations.md
Key Services and Tools
Platform Services
| 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
| 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
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Parameterized queries (SQL injection prevention)
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CSRF protection for UI applications
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Built-in authentication/authorization frameworks
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SAP Credential Store for secrets management
Security Guidelines
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Secure environment configuration - Restrict network access
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Security testing - Penetration testing before go-live
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Secure deployment pipelines - Code scanning, dependency validation
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Secrets management - Use SAP Credential Store
For security details: See references/security.md
Connectivity Patterns
Cloud-to-On-Premise
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SAP Connectivity Service + Cloud Connector
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User propagation supported
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Protocols: HTTP, RFC, LDAP, FTP
Cloud-to-Cloud
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SAP Destination Service for routing
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OAuth token management
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SAP Transparent Proxy for Kubernetes
For connectivity details: See references/connectivity.md
CI/CD Implementation
SAP Continuous Integration and Delivery provides pre-configured pipelines:
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Cloud Foundry Environment jobs (SAP Fiori, CAP)
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SAP Fiori for ABAP Platform jobs
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SAP Integration Suite Artifacts jobs
Setup steps:
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Enable in SAP BTP cockpit
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Assign Administrator/Developer roles
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Configure repository credentials (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure Repos)
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Add repositories and create jobs
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Configure webhooks for automated builds
For CI/CD details: See references/cicd.md
Observability Implementation
Central Layer (SAP Cloud ALM)
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Real User Monitoring
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Health Monitoring
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Integration and Exception Monitoring
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Synthetic User Monitoring
Local Layer (SAP Cloud Logging)
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Log Analytics (OpenSearch-based)
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Distributed tracing
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Custom dashboards and alerting
OpenTelemetry is the industry standard for instrumentation.
For observability details: See references/observability.md
Tutorials and Missions
CAP Learning Path
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Starter Mission: Full-Stack CAP Application
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Extension Mission: Side-by-Side CAP-Based Extensions
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Enterprise Mission: Change Tracking, Audit Logging, Attachments
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Multitenant Mission: SaaS Application Development
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Observability Mission: SAP Cloud Logging Integration
ABAP Learning Path
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RAP100 Basics: Fiori apps, OData services, business logic
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RAP100 Intermediate: Actions, dynamic feature control, unit testing
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RAP120: AI-assisted development with SAP Joule
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Analytics: CDS views with SAP Analytics Cloud
Sample applications:
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Incident Management (CAP)
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Flight Reference Scenario (ABAP)
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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)
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architecture.md- Platform services overview and architecture patterns -
runtimes.md- Runtime comparison and selection guide -
setup.md- BTP landscape setup with sizing recommendations -
tools.md- Complete development tools catalog
Development (8 files)
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cap-development.md- CAP development with Node.js/Java -
abap-cloud.md- ABAP Cloud development with RAP -
design-patterns.md- Domain-driven design and patterns -
extensions.md- Side-by-side extensions for SAP solutions -
mta.md- Multitarget application packaging -
testing.md- Testing strategies and frameworks -
ux-design.md- SAP Fiori UX design guidelines
Integration & Security (4 files)
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connectivity.md- Cloud-to-on-premise connectivity -
security.md- Authentication, authorization, and security -
hana-cloud.md- SAP HANA Cloud database -
resilience.md- Application resilience patterns
Deployment & Operations (5 files)
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deployment.md- Deployment to CF, Kyma, and ABAP -
cicd.md- CI/CD pipelines with SAP tools -
observability.md- Monitoring, logging, and tracing -
operations.md- Operations, scaling, and cost optimization -
partners.md- ISV/partner development guidelines
Learning & Updates (2 files)
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tutorials.md- Hands-on missions and tutorials -
whats-new.md- Latest features and changelog
Partner/ISV Development
Deployment Options
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Multitenant SaaS - Cloud service operated in partner's global account
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Add-on Product - Installed in customer's ABAP environment
Requirements
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SAP PartnerEdge Build contract
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Registered ABAP namespace (mandatory)
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Landscape Portal for lifecycle management
For partner details: See references/partners.md
Quick Reference Links
Official Documentation:
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SAP BTP Help: https://help.sap.com/docs/btp
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CAP Documentation: https://cap.cloud.sap/docs/
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SAP Discovery Center: https://discovery-center.cloud.sap/
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SAP API Business Hub: https://api.sap.com/
Design Resources:
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SAP Fiori Design: https://experience.sap.com/fiori-design-web/
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SAPUI5 SDK: https://sapui5.hana.ondemand.com/
Learning:
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SAP Developers: https://developers.sap.com/
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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
| 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
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Skill Version: 1.1.0
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Last Verified: 2025-11-27
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Source Last Updated: 2025-11-21
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Based On: SAP BTP Developer Guide (https://github.com/SAP-docs/btp-developer-guide)
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Next Review: 2026-02-21