Software Components in SAP ERP 

Software Components

A software component bundles a set of packages that can only be delivered to customers together. All packages are distributed disjunctively among software components. This means that the objects in a package can only be delivered to customers with a software component. You assign objects to a software component by assigning the package (containing these objects) to a software component. In general there are several releases for each software component.

Support Packages can be imported into each software component separately.

Package Architecture in SAP ERP

Software Component	Description
SAP_BASIS	SAP Web Application Server (formerly: SAP Basis)
SAP_ABA	Cross-application components
SAP_HR	Human resources
SAP_APPL	Logistics and Accounting
HOME	This software component contains packages with objects that are assigned to a transport layer and can be transported within a system landscape. This packages are not designated for external delivery.
LOCAL	Contains packages with local objects only. Local packages are not assigned to a transport layer.

The software component hierarchy

The software components delivered with SAP ERP form a hierarchy.You can use this hierarchy to work out which dependencies are implied by the use of a given software component. For example, SAP_HR uses objects from the component SAP_ABA, which in turn depends on SAP_BASIS.