UI Technology (SAP Library - ABAP Technology)

UI Technology

Different technologies are available as part of Application Server ABAP (AS ABAP) for displaying an application to users. Which option is used depends on the application that you want to run. When planning your project, you can decide which UI technology you want to use based on the technical prerequisites as well as the requirements for the planned application.

SAP GUI for Windows and for Java

SAP applications from older releases are usually programmed using dynpro technology. To display applications that were programmed using dynpro technology, a separate software packet is installed on the user’s PC, SAP GUI for Windows or for Java.

SAP GUI for Java is also a user interface for displaying dynpro-based applications and is also installed locally on the user’s PC. Unlike SAP GUI for Windows, SAP GUI for Java does not depend on the local PC’s operating system. You can find information about the SAP GUI for Java in SAP Note 146505.

SAP GUI for HTML / Internet Transaction Server

The increasing development of the World Wide Web meant that it became necessary to enable existing applications based on dynpro technology to be called using standard browsers via HTTP. Internet Transaction Server (ITS) and SAP GUI for HTML were conceived for this purpose. However, in addition to SAP GUI for HTML, there are also further implementation models for ITS.

The SAP GUI for HTML technology and the IAC technology are both integrated into Web Application Server.

Web-Oriented Programming Model

Release 6.10 of SAP Web Application Server offered programming of Business Server Pages (BSP) for the first time. This programming model is fundamentally different to dynpro programming, and enables an application to be displayed via an HTTP connection using a standard browser. The application-specific display software does not, therefore, need to be installed on the user’s PC.

With Web Dynpro for ABAP, Application Server ABAP provides a new programming model based on the Model View Controller principle as of Release 7.0. The architecture of this model is identical to that of Web AS ABAP and Web AS Java. Applications that were created using Web Dynpro for ABAP are also displayed using a standard browser on the user’s PC.

SAP NetWeaver Business Client

SAP NetWeaver Business Client (NWBC) is a rich client providing optimal end-to-end performance, familiar desktop integration, and dramatically improved user experience. It allows consumption of portal services, application content, and tasks directly from the back-end systems. NWBC bridges the gap between today’s thick clients (such as SAP GUI) and the browser access used to access SAP NetWeaver Portal.