Three questions and answers: Why ABAP developers need to rethink now

The transition from classic Dynpro and Web Dynpro interfaces to SAP Fiori Elements presents fundamental challenges for many ABAP developers. Instead of imperative programming in SE80, CDS annotations and the ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model (RAP) now determine the appearance of the interfaces. Marian Zeis, an independent SAP developer actively involved in the DSAG's UI Technologies working group, provides context on what the change means for practical application.

Marian Zeis

betterCode() ABAP 2026

The online conference betterCode() ABAP on April 29, 2026, offers developers the opportunity to expand their ABAP knowledge. ABAP Cloud, the ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model, and the use of SAP Joule for Developers are the focus.

heise developer: What is the biggest challenge in UI development with SAP Fiori Elements if you have previously worked with Web Dynpro ABAP or Dynpro?

Zeis: If you have primarily worked with Dynpro, Web Dynpro ABAP, or classic ALVs before, the biggest challenge from my perspective is that you are suddenly no longer operating solely within the classic ABAP world.

The first break is already with the tools: you no longer work mainly in SE80, but in Eclipse with the ABAP Development Tools. In addition, RAP and Fiori Elements represent a significantly more service- and annotation-driven approach.

However, the real challenge for me is that front-end topics are moving closer to the ABAP developer. While Fiori Elements can map a lot via annotations and metadata in the standard, as soon as you want to extend it or require more specific behavior, you quickly come into contact with UI5 and sometimes JavaScript. It is precisely this change in thinking that is the biggest adjustment for many.

heise developer: To what extent must or should user interfaces be considered during backend development? Do you have to learn a completely new language like ABAP CDS to use annotations?

Zeis: From my perspective, user interfaces should be considered very early on, ideally already at the data model and services level. This was also fundamentally the case in the past, but it is even more important in the RAP environment because the later interface is strongly derived from the backend model.

Especially with Fiori Elements, a lot of UI logic is already embedded in the CDS views and annotations. If the model is technically unclean or the data is not cut appropriately, you will see it directly in the application later. Therefore, good interfaces are largely created in the backend here.

Regarding ABAP CDS, I would say: Yes, you have to learn something new, but you don't start completely from scratch. It's a different way of thinking because it's more about modeling, semantics, and annotations. And there's hardly any way around it in the future. Especially as SAP moves towards generative UI, clean business objects and a good backend model will become even more important.

heise developer: Will ABAP and UI development still be needed at all if users will soon only interact with the SAP system via Joule?

Zeis: From my perspective, ABAP will definitely accompany us for a long time to come. The fact that SAP continues to position ABAP as modern and is expanding it, especially in the cloud environment, clearly shows that it is not a sunset model.

The question of UI development is more exciting. With Joule and generative UI, a new type of interaction is naturally added, meaning more context-specific and dynamic interfaces. This will certainly change how SAP applications are conceived in the future.

Nevertheless, I don't believe that ABAP and UI development will become obsolete because of this. There will continue to be many processes where structured interfaces, lists, forms, or guided workflows are more sensible than pure chat interaction. Therefore, I rather believe in coexistence: Joule will become more important, but classic applications will not simply disappear.

heise developer: Mr. Zeis, thank you very much for the interview!

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