SAP Cloud Platform Mobile App Development Choices

 

At TechEd 2017, I attended a presentation on DX110, presented by  Gerhard Henig . In particular, it was clear to me that there are quite SAP Mobile development choices that users are not aware of and I’d like to highlight them here.

SAP Cloud Platform Mobile services provides several options to develop apps , its very important to understand what to choose from the options available. This was presented in SAPTechEd 2017 to help customers and partners to simply to what options to choose when developing apps.

 

Below diagram show options available.

 

       Guidance on SAP’s UI Technologies for Mobile Applications                                                           UX, timeline and budget, availability of skills and use case will drive choice

 

SAP Cloud Platform – Mobile Services

 

 

Building Metadata-driven Native Mobile Apps

New Rapid Mobile App Development framework enables users to create new mobile apps in a low code / no code environment:

SAP Enterprise App Modeler

App modeler allows to easily create apps without writing any code. Apps like SAP Asset Manager is developed using SEAM, this app can be tailored to business need. It is aligned with SAP design principles created with apple providing rich and same user experience across the ecosystem. Easy life cycle management and deployment without reinstalling the app. Good things this can also we made to work offline.

 

SAP Enterprise App Modeler – Editor

SEAM Editor leverages Web IDE on SAP CP and provide users to create functional enterprise mobile apps with zero coding , for complex business logic Java script coding can be used to develop the app. Fiori Like styling and controls can be added with ease from the set of libraries and controls

 

SAP Enterprise App Modeler – Client

SEAM client is a native mobile client runs on meta data definition. It uses native control with Fiori look and feel. Extensibility allows client to leverage new control without re-install or update.

Customized branding can be done on client , client is delivered as part of SAP CP SDK for IOS.

 

WYSIWYG Page Editor

Editor is very cool it allows to create and edit new pages without writing code with drag and drop fetaures. Event handler can be attached with ease  Editor allows to Bind control properties to values specified by object data, properties of other controls or business logic rules. Can change the layout of the page with ease.

OData Object Browser

When creating definitions or mapping OData properties to the screen, quickly locate:

• OData Objects and Properties
• Actions
• UI Elements
• Rules
• Globals

 

 

 

 

Action Editor 

Simple Wizards to configure business logic and work with OData:

• Navigation
• Filters
• Messages
• OData
• Log levels
• Required fields

Interact with Object Browser to work with Properties, Rules

Execution rules and success / failure actions provide conditional logic

 

Rule Editor

Rule editor generates .JS code (Based on Google Blockly). Blockly leverages a puzzle pieces paradigm to build application business logic

Execution Rules allows to Enable/disable action based on rule output

Data Manipulation Rules allows to Create rules that manage app data and Act on data captured from application

Composite Rules helps to Link multiple rules together

 

 

Hybrid App Development

 

Advantages

• Cross-platform (iOS, Android and Windows)
• Access to native device features via Apache Cordova
• Powerful UI5 library  Large Ecosystem delivering Apache Cordova Plug-ins
• Large ecosystem of JavaScript developers
• App runs inside the Web view of a native container (Apache Cordova)
• App looks similar on all devices
• Cloud Build/Packaging service
• App deployment into app stores

SAP Mobile Platform SDK enabling Hybrid App Development

 

 

Packaging Hybrid app

• Web app code bundled with the container rather than loaded from the server when opened
• Offline-enablement possible
• Best stability regardless of network conditions
• Packaging now enabled via SAP Fiori mobile service – end-to-end in the Cloud, from the Web IDE to App and Device Management
• CLI Packager included in the SDK for greatest flexibility
• Turn deployed Fiori applications into encapsulated, installable apps

 

SAP Fiori Client 

SAP Fiori Client and custom SAP Fiori Client

Public App Store version of SAP Fiori Client with restricted feature set available.

An SAP Fiori Client template is shipped with the SAP Mobile Platform SDK.

• Fully customizable  Change application title
• Add and remove 3rd-party and SAP plugins
• Adjust splash screen and icon
• Change first-use tips
• Simplify user onboarding
• Improve attachment handling
• Tighten security

SAP Content to Go

SAP Content to Go allows customers to mobilize and publish information instantly, without the need of having a full development cycle for mobile apps when data needs to be mobilized

• Example use cases: Customer information, approvals, employee self service, and more
• Wallet-style UX
• Quick access to relevant information
• Works offline if network is not available
• Companion to a specialized app
• Full text search  Plug-in for Fiori Launchpad
• Uses Fiori Elements annotations
• Can be used without Fiori (REST API

 

Go App Example data flow