ABAP 7.50

ABAP 7.50: Embracing Modernization and Streamlined Development

ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming), SAP’s proprietary programming language, has continuously evolved to streamline development processes within the SAP ecosystem. Release 7.50 brings a significant wave of new features and improvements aimed at making ABAP even more potent and developer-friendly. Let’s delve into the key highlights:

1. Embracing Expressions and Inline Declarations

• New Expression Operators: ABAP 7.50 introduces expression operators like REDUCE and FILTER inspired by functional programming, empowering you to perform powerful operations on internal tables with concise syntax.
• Constructor Expressions: Simplify object creation using constructor expressions (e.g., NEW #( … )).
• Inline Declarations: Declare variables directly within expressions, streamlining your code and improving readability.

2. Enhanced OpenSQL

• SELECT UNION: Combine the results of multiple SELECT statements for more flexible data aggregation.
• Inserting from Subqueries: Streamline your database operations by directly inserting the result of a subquery into a table.
• Global Temporary Tables (GTTs) in OpenSQL: Utilize GTTs to manage temporary data within OpenSQL statements.

3. ABAP CDS Enhancements

• Annotations: Enrich your ABAP Core Data Services (CDS) Views with annotations to control UI behavior, define input parameters, or configure search capabilities.
• CDS Table Functions: Build modular reusable logic within your CDS views enhancing flexibility.

4. Modernized Development Environment

• Test Seams and Injections: Improve code testability by introducing test seams for easier test code injection during unit testing.
• ABAP Channels: Simplify asynchronous messaging between ABAP components using the ABAP Push Channels (APC).

5. Additional Noteworthy Changes

• Pragmas and Pseudo Comments: Improve code readability using pragmas and pseudo comments that provide instructions to the compiler.
• Access Control: Enhance security with more refined control over authorization checks.
• Dynamic RFC Destinations Flexible configuration of RFC destinations at runtime.

Compatibility and Migration

ABAP 7.50 focuses heavily on new features and syntax additions. While a large portion of existing ABAP code will function as intended, leveraging the newer features often requires adapting your coding style. It’s recommended to:

1. Thoroughly analyze your existing custom ABAP code for potential compatibility issues.
2. Familiarize yourself with the new syntax and concepts.
3. Consider a gradual migration to maximize the benefits of Release 7.50’s innovations.

Beyond the Technical

ABAP 7.50 stands as a testament to SAP’s commitment to the developer community. Its advancements showcase a trend toward:

• Concise and Expressive Syntax: The goal is to create more readable and maintainable ABAP code.
• Database Integration: OpenSQL improvements demonstrate tighter integration with the database layer.
• Improved Flexibility: Features like dynamic RFC destinations promote adaptable solutions.

Getting Started

If you’re ready to explore ABAP 7.50 in detail, here are some valuable resources:

• SAP Community: ABAP Language News for Release 7.5 (https://community.sap.com/t5/application-development-blog-posts/abap-language-news-for-release-7-50/ba-p/13181662)
• SAP Help Portal: Changes in Release 7.50 (https://help.sap.com/doc/abapdocu_752_index_htm/7.52/en-US/abennews-750.htm)