Be a Cockroach: A Simple Guide to AI and SAP Full-Stack Development - Part I

[karthikarjun]

Disclaimer: This blog delves into SAP full-stack development, incorporating SAP RAP for both front-end and back-end functionalities, Integration Suite for middleware tasks, TensorFlow for AI/ML modeling, and crafting a personalized system dashboard. Geared towards simplifying complex business systems through engaging stories, it's for those wanting to understand these concepts. If you're already well-versed, feel free to just stop here and explore other content.

I) Introduction (Story):

Most people came here to see what he has to say about cockroaches and their connection to SAP development. Some might be curious to learn about it. Few of you could feel grossed out and think cockroaches are yucky and ugly! But after reading this section, I hope you'll respect these special creatures called “COCKROACH”.

The world is more than 200,000 years old. Lots of animals have lived and expired over time. One of them was dinosaurs—they were huge and strong. Due to changes in the tectonic plates and environment, the Dinosaurs couldn't survive and disappeared. Now, you can see it in movies using computer-generated effects. However, cockroaches have been around for over 1,00,000 years and you can still come across them in your kitchen, living room, bathroom, trash can, and everywhere else. Cockroaches have adjusted to changes in their surroundings, which is why they still exist on the planet.

Even though companies produce items like HIT and Baygon to kill them, cockroaches survive by figuring out how to deal with those products. A study found that certain products cause some cockroaches to behave as if they're intoxicated. Their bodies adapt to these substances. This ability to change is known as adaptation.

There aren't any charities or groups dedicated to protecting cockroaches like there are for elephants and dolphins. Everyone wants to kill cockroach, yet these humble cockroaches keep on living and undefeated by human, and their existence is inevitable. Now that you understand, I trust you hold a greater appreciation for the modest cockroach. Similarly, Consultants must also adjust to shifts in market trends.

The IT market is going through changes like "Artificial Intelligence" and a higher demand for “SAP Full-Stack developers” and so on. In this blog we are go-through about SAP Full-Stack development.

(The story about cockroaches was inspired by a book called "11 Rules for Life" written by Chetan Bhagat)

II) Agenda:

1. Getting to Know SAP FullStack: Understanding the Full Stack
2. Background Insights: Delving into the Story Behind
3. System Design Visualization: Seeing the Technical Architecture
4. Practical Implementation: Learning the Practical Details Step-by-Step
5. Wrapping Up: Summarizing Key Points and Looking Ahead
6. Further Reading: Offering Links to More Research Materials

III) Getting to Know SAP Full-Stack: Understanding the SAP Full-Stack development

Many of our consultants believe that full stack development involves only front-end and back-end development. However, when it comes to SAP development, there's a third component: middleware.

In today's market, relying on just one system isn't enough. Data comes from various sources, and we need to consolidate it to generate reports. So, if you're interested in becoming an SAP full-stack developer, this blog will help you understand the basics of all three elements: front-end, middleware, and back-end, and explain them practically.

Fig1: Basic diagram for Full-Stack development

IV) Background Insights: Delving into the Story Behind

Sundhara Pandian is a big part of Kotravai Coffee Group in Queenstown, New Zealand. He makes really good coffee. His trick? He gets top-notch coffee beans by following a careful process.

Instead of just buying beans whenever he wants, Sundhara Pandian sends a request called a Purchase Order (PO) to a big coffee supplier in Bremen, Germany. But it's not as simple as filling out a form. The PO has to go through a smart system with AI and automation. This system checks the beans in the supplier's stock and confirms the order.

But Sundhara Pandian's job doesn't stop there. The results from the system are put into SAP S/4HANA Cloud. This helps keep track of orders and how much coffee is left.

Basically, Sundhara Pandian does more than just make coffee. He's good at handling  complicated systems to make sure Queenstown always has enough beans for coffee lovers.

Let's dive into SAP full-stack development through Sundara Pandian's story as we build the SAP RAP App for PO cockpit, iFlows and AI/ML model.

V) Technical Architecture Diagram: Visualizing the System Design

Fig2: Architecture diagram for E2E – Full Stack development with SAP applications

VI) Technical Implementation: Step-by-Step Integration Details

AIM: (Custom Cockpit and Integrated Goods Receipts):

1. We're making a simple app for custom Purchase Orders (PO) with basic fields.
2. Obtaining the GR information electronically, then utilizing a machine learning algorithm to automatically update the GR within our application system (GR automation).
3. We're getting details about Goods Receipts (GR) from GR automation system and showing them in the custom PO form.

Target Audience:

1. Individuals with 0 to 4 years of experience in SAP.
2. Enthusiastic learners eager to explore new concepts and expand their knowledge base.

Before proceeding, please ensure the following prerequisites are met:

1. Familiarity with basic concepts of SAP S/4HANA Cloud and SAP RAP.
2. Activation of the ADT-Eclipse, Postman, Integration Suite API plan in your SAP BTP entitlement.
3. Understanding of fundamental AI and Automation concepts.
4. Knowledge related to Python, Javascript, System landscape and UI

Step 1: Install the ADT package in the Eclipse. You can refer the below link to download the ADT package in the eclipse.

ADT Link: https://tools.hana.ondemand.com/#abap

Step 2:

Step two has been divided into two sections, each detailed below:

1. Section-A: Connect to the S/4 HANA Cloud system.
2. Section-B: Create the modelling with SAP RAP

Go to help-> About Eclipse IDE -> Double check the below highlighted icon from your system.

Section-A: Connect to the S/4 HANA Cloud system

To connect the S/4 HANA Cloud system, please use the below steps.

Type the S/4 HANA Cloud web address: https://<Host>.s4hana.cloud.sap. Remember, select client 80. This client is used for making changes to the system.

Click the "Copy Logon URL to Clipboard" button. Then, open your web browser and paste the URL there. Enter your login details and press enter. After successful login, you'll see the screen below.

Click "Finish" and create your own package name. I've used "ZDEMO" here.

Part 1: Key Takeaway:

1. Gaining foundational knowledge of systems and landscapes through story-based learning.
2. Grasping the fundamentals of full-stack development with diagrams
3. Setting up Eclipse for SAP ADT and establishing a connection to the S/4 HANA Public Cloud system.

Part 2: Coming soon - Keep an eye out for an exciting story-based learning journey as we delve into creating SAP RAP applications.

Part 3: Coming soon - Embark on an exploration of AI and ML with our forthcoming model, create system with a dashboard for ( GR Automation ) 

Part 4: Coming soon - Learn how to connect the circuit using Integration Suite in our upcoming installment.

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