SAPUI5 Maintenance strategy update – still in process but a heads up
Hi all,
because of feedback from customer projects and via OSS tickets, I’d like to share the information that SAP is currently working on an update of the SAPUI5 maintenance strategy. The plan is still subject to be changed, but there is already a clear direction that it is important for you to plan the go live releases.
Basically the idea is that there will be dedicated UI5 versions that have a maintenance period from up to 2 years and thus are the recommended go-to releases for stable productive usage of the Fiori / UI5 applications. SAP will provide UI5 corrections via note or via SPs that contain only bug fixes which reduces the risk of regressions.
So why I’m writing a heads-up before the official roll-out:
The latest UI5 version 1.28 that is available via the NW UI add-on V1.0 SP12, HCP and soon via NW UI add-on V1.0 SP13 is already such a stable version. In case you have go-live date close by and are targeting a stable stack, please decide for SAPUI5 1.28 and directly avoid older releases that are no longer supported.
Usually, SP13 would have contained UI5 version 1.30 instead of a higher 1.28 patch level, so you already will see the difference in July. To avoid questions: there also will be a UI5 V1.30 with the latest innovations that is currently planned for 09/2015 (not yet a final date).
More information and also final confirmation yet to come (e.g. how long the stable period will be, what is the next stable version etc.), but please use already the additional opportunity that SAPUI5 is offering with 1.28.
So short version from this blog post: 1.28 for sure is a much better choice compared to 1.24 or 1.26 🙂
Best regards
Stefan
For OpenUI5 this basically means there will be certain stable versions (like 1.28) that will keep receiving fixes for many months (up to two years, as opposed to just about four months).
But no change to the roughly quarterly cycle of new feature releases (which are still intended to be compatible).
Hello. Thank you for sharing.
I have a question: what about update sapui5 for SAP HANA standalone, now it updates only with new revision.
Hi Andrew,
SAP HANA standalone will continue to update with a new revision. The details are work in process but one possible outcome is that HANA will offer stable versions only.
Why? in general we intend to strengthen the HCP as the deployment and access vehicle for UI5 resources. See the related article http://scn.sap.com/community/developer-center/front-end/blog/2015/04/01/sapui5-is-now-delivered-via-akamai-cdn . So basically the recommendation for stand-alone apps is to consume UI5 directly from the cloud and not from the local system. We currently work on providing the option for selecting specific UI5 versions, so that the bootstrap URL in principle looks like "src="https://sapui5.hana.ondemand.com/resources/ui5-version/sap-ui-core.js".
This means that applications can decide which UI5 version to use without having it deployed on the local platform/server. So we avoid the struggle with the need to apply revisions or SPs, but replace it via an easy option to select the UI5 version.
Best regards
Stefan
Hi Stefan,
thank you for the information.
I have another question regarding the versions:
As I understood from your post and according to note 2187371 (SAPUI5 upgrade to version 1.30.1) from 1st of July with SP13 the SAPUI5 version will be upgraded to 1.30.1.
However after installing the corresponding AddOn the version 1.30.1 is not shown under [server:port]/sap/public/bc/ui5_ui5/index.html, highest verstion still is 1.28.x. Did we miss something?
Thanks!
Best regards,
Jürgen
Hi Stefan Beck,
Any update of when SAPUI5 v1.30 will be available on the ABAP stack?
Thanks,
Simon
Yes informations about SP14 would be awesome,..
Hi all,
please be aware that UI5 1.30 will not be in SP14. The UI add-on V1 will remain on 1.28 and only get higher 1.28.x patch levels. However, SAPUI5 1.30 will be available via the UI add-on V2 SP0, that has the currently planned RTC date in October (this date might change at any point in time).
Please find the release 1.30 already on HCP via the link SAPUI5 SDK - Demo Kit and here you can also read more information about the maintenance strategy (see https://sapui5.hana.ondemand.com/#docs/maintenancestrategy.pdf).
So until 1.30 will be released on ABAP, you might consider to follow the approach described here Multi-Version availability of SAPUI5. That means you can already develop apps using 1.30 on ABAP and consume SAPUI5 resources from the cloud.
Best regards
Stefan
Hi Stefan,
I just want to explore your statements a little further. Looking at the release strategy for SAPUI5 (note 1980692), it mentions that UI5 (from UI Add On SP1) is going to be like SAPGUI with downward compatibility and the ability to update to newer versions as they are available; but there appears to be no official way of updating to 1.30 without going with UI add-on V2 SP0 per your statement.
My concern is that my current client is going through patching over the next couple of weeks, and with some significant improvements introduced in 1.30; we'll be stuck on 1.28 until we patch everything.
So my question, based on the statements in this note - how will we be able to update to 1.30 without going to V2?
Thanks,
Matt
Hi Matt,
first I have to understand why you want to go to 1.30 without applying V2? Maybe there is a fundamental misunderstanding that I have to address: please do not confuse V2 of the UI add-on with Version 2 of SAPUI5. In other words, the UI add-on V2 still contains the SAPUI5 Version 1 (being 1.30-1.36). That means V2 SP0 with UI5 1.30 is as compatible to 1.28 as 1.26 was to 1.28 (or V1 SP11 to V1 SP12).
That means V1 to V2 SP0 is now the same as V1 SP n to V1 SP n+1 was in the past: UI5 follows the compatibility rules. However, there always was a certain risk that applications using UI5 features not being part of the official compatible APIs break after an upgrade. With maintaining version 1.28 for 2 years, we reduce this risk for applications as we do not allow any new feature development but only patches. With that even private APIs are less likely to be changed (still do not use them!).
So this increases the stability and is an additional offering to customers that are happy with the current features. For all others who were happy with the UI5 compatibility in the past and always want new features, just apply UI add-on V2. Then you have the same behavior you have been used to.
Best regards
Stefan
Hi Stefan,
No problem - Let me explain what I see at customer sites:
Support Packs in Enterprises are big endeavours (even for just the UI Add on) ; so you don't do these more than twice a year and sometimes even less due to the effort required to test. So consider the following:
a) We're doing one right now (dev was done today),
b) ui5 1.30 is officially released already
c) V2 is not yet released hence 1.30 is not available in a support pack meaning
d) the 1.30 UI5 release is a significant release in terms of functionality and architecture when developing new apps.
From a future looking perspective, with the forthcoming HCP Gateway/Fiori Launchpad/UI5 libraries solution, these are going to be updated automatically going forward, but your ABAP stack is going to keep being stuck on old versions as Support Packs are the only way to officially update to newer UI5 versions on an ABAP stack, and the UI add on support packs touches much more than just UI5 libraries.
I'd also highlight that your explanation doesn't align with what is stated in the note 1980692. It effectively states that 1.3x can and should be deployed on ABAP UI add-on SPS 1 when officially released.
That said, if it's just like ERP EHP's where you need a big upgrade project to get new functionality, then so be it (will help the business case for HCP at least) but I'd recommend updating note 1980692 to say this.
Cheers,
Matt
Hi Matt,
yes, in that sense you are right as you need an SP upgrade to come to 1.30. As also the non UI5 parts of the UI add-on are relevant for Fiori Apps, they have to be upgraded as well - this is also no change compared to the past.
So key is that SAP with that maintenance strategy tries to eliminate indirect dependencies from UI -> Fiori App -> EHP that in the past might have forced you too often to upgrade more than only the front-end server and that you get the trust to upgrade the front-end server with reasonable testing, but without a huge upgrade project. This will hopefully bring you into a position to do it frequently enough to get the innovations in time.
Best regards
Stefan
There's a new OSS note 2181141 which you can find searching for "SAPUI5 1.30" in OSS but if you open it, you only get the message "Document is not released".
Since openui5 has been released at the start of this week, I think it should only be a matter of days until SAPUI5 becomes available via OSS.
Hi All,
Any update when the SAP_UI 1.30 (ABAP Stack) will be release?
Thanks,
Valter
Hi Valter,
with the usual disclaimer that these are planning dates that might be changed by SAP at any point in time and must not be seen as commitment: the current schedule is Mid to End of October for the UI add-on and (End of) November for SAP_UI.
Best regards
Stefan
Hi Stefan,
No problem. I just would like to know in order to start a brand new project, so it means we will use at this point the 1.28 version.
See you at TechEd LV.
Thanks,
Valter