Where to start for Developing Mobile Apps

[Former Member]

Hi Guys,

i want to build mobile apps for smartphones which will get data content from our SAP Backend.

I have experience in developing native Android apps but with SAP, i will get my first question in mind that "Where do i have to start ?".

I researched and get heard so many terms about SUP, Netweaver Gateway, OData, UI5, Cordova, Eclipse and so on.

And now im confused, i want at first really understand only which way i have to go.

Can you tell me the routes in which way i have to walk if i want to develop native apps or non-native apps which are communicate basically with my SAP backend.

Logically i can populate my RFC's as Webservices and i can communicate with them but i want to get the standard way, which is described by SAP with the terms i mentioned at start (SUP, Gateway, OData....)

And why is always in tutorials eclipse used ? is eclipse the developer platform for non native apps which is choosed by the contributers ?

Additionally what i want to know too is about the licence, can i develop apps for free or do i have to pay a fee for the development tools, mentioned above ?

I know i have so much questions but how i said im a newbie in mobile apps on SAP and so much terms are confusing. So please understand me and help me out of these siituation.

Best Regards

[midhun_vp · Accepted solution]

When you look at SAP Mobile Platform now we have a lot of technologies available to develop a mobile app that talks to SAP. That includes mobile platforms and frameworks.

The major platforms in the SAP mobile technologies are:

1. SUP
2. Syclo
3. NW gateway
4. Sybase Mobiliser.

SAPUI5, PhoneGap, Sencha, Appcelerator etc are some major frameworks based on web technologies that helps to develop mobile app.

In that SUP is a strong platform capable of developing different types of mobile applications:

• Native offline - It is based on the development of MBOs. Offline capabilities will be present
• Native online - It is based on the Odata services exposed from NW gateway. In this case NW gateway and SUP will be present in the mobile architecture. Offline capabilities will be absent
• Online apps - It is based on the web technologies such as javascript, html and css. In this case we can use the the frameworks such as Phonegap, sencha and appcelerator for developing good looking and featured apps.

Customs apps using Syclo is highly difficult and it is used for existing apps released. That means there are apps already released by SAP which are based on Syclo and these apps will be configured to the customers.

Since you have experience in development of native android development and knowledge in RFCs I would suggest you to look at native app/HWC app development using SUP. That involves some development in SUP (graphical) and native coding in native OS (android,ios etc.)

NW gateway some times used to develop app independently in order to reduce the cost of SUP (Odata services exposed from NW gateway is consumed directly in devices), but SAP recommended way of development is using SMP/SUP.

Sybase Mobilizer is a platform for the development of mobile apps which are based on SMS. These types of apps are used mainly in Banking.

SAPUI5 is a major framework released by SAP recently. Using this technology it is possible to develop hybrid apps. It is based on the web technologies like HTML 5 , JS and CSS. SAP already released 25 apps based on this called "FIORI".

To start learning go through this,

http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-8803#section2

http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-36055

- Midhun VP

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thank you Midhun,

The last point with SAPUI5, is it a freely library like Jquery or Sencha ?

Im asking because your point that i know already RFC and native development is true and im feeling to tendend to that way, it would be more feasible for me.

Like i asked Jitendra; how dou you think for that solution above ?

[midhun_vp · Accepted solution]

I believe the SAPUI5 is not free. But evaluation version of it can be downloaded for free (http://scn.sap.com/community/developer-center/front-end) and develop apps.

SAP is providing all ways of developing a mobile app that connects to SAP systems. That includes hybrid apps, native apps, HWC apps etc. All the different types of apps are meant for different business processes. ex: PO approval is a small business process it can be done using HWC / Hybrid app since it is not dealing with large amount of data.

Hence it is your interest / skills based on which you can decide on which one or more you can work on. I can't say this one is better than other.

- Midhun VP

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Selcuk,

the license for SAPUI5 is not defined yet. You may ask our key account manager who's mentoring your netweaver implementation.

After all: it depens on your business case but I'm personally a strong fan of sapui5 with the combination of all the powerful web tools.

[Former Member]

Hi Selcuk,

there is a mobile development course running on openSAP right now.

Check it out (even when it's perhaps to late to get the necessary points, but explains all necessary steps):

• Course: Introduction to Mobile Solution Development for the Enterprise

[Jitendra_Kansal]

Hi,

You may get some input from below links

http://scn.sap.com/thread/3406565

http://scn.sap.com/community/mobile/blog/2012/07/05/sup-phonegap

http://scn.sap.com/community/mobile/blog/2013/01/04/looking-for-mobile-demos-customer-references-roa...

http://scn.sap.com/community/developer-center/mobility-platform/blog/2012/07/30/a-workflow-applicati...

Rgrds,

Jitendra

[Former Member]

Ok, thank you very much.

What do you think about a own development strategy to develop a hybrid application(with Jquery or Sencha etc.) and connect to the SAP backend over Webservices without the use of SUP and other stuff ?