SAP Build brings together ABAP, Java, and JavaScript into their low-code platform for the first time, enabling developers to collaborate across programming languages with the SAP environment.
Build is SAP’s low-code/no-code platform, offering development tools exclusively within the S/4HANA ecosystem for streamlined customisation of ERP software. Using SAP Build, developers can rapidly produce scalable S/4HANA extensions both on-stack, extending applications in S/4HANA, and side-by-side, for applications on SAP Business Transformation Platform. These latest additions to SAP Build, announced at October’s TechEd conference event, now include greater scope for ABAP development and customisation, as well as the expansion of gen-AI tools, and a closer integration with S/4HANA.
Complementing this expanded coding toolbox is a swathe of exciting new features from Joule, the SAP AI copilot.
Andreas Welsch, VP & Head of Marketing & Solutions - Artificial Intelligence at SAP SE, said:
“Products like S/4HANA for ERP are coded in in ABAP, our proprietary programming language, and by fine tuning that that model, we are able to help developers not only generate code, but do code completion, explanations, write unit tests, and we’re planning on integrating this in our Build Code portfolio for professional developers.”
Developers can leverage Joule with the power to build, deploy, and manage custom AI skills with a user-friendly drag-and-drop function – simplifying the user experience for macro efficiency advantages.
J.G. Chirapurath, SAP chief marketing officer, said: "Let's say you have 10,000 lines of ABAP code that was written 20 years ago. You can point Joule at it and say, 'Tell me what this code is, what it does, and can you rewrite it into JavaScript.' Joule will then do that for you."
These new generative AI resources within SAP Build also include automated workflows and the ability for developers to set up approval recommendations. Programmers using Joule in SAP Build will also benefit from document search functionality for learning and fast query answers, plus immediate support from SAP Help and SAP Community.
J.G. Chirapurath, SAP chief marketing officer, said: “The benefit to the developer is productivity -- they don't have to go to different environments for different tooling. But it's not just a development tool, it's also a collaboration tool for developers and business experts."
This round of augmentations helps position SAP Build as the centralised hub for all development tools, with the goal of improving collaboration and cooperation across teams for efficient full-stack application development and customised business processes. The update for ABAP business objectives via Joule AI is scheduled for the end of 2024, with the Extensibility Wizard accessible within S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition. The release of Joule capabilities for S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition and the SAP BTP ABAP Environment are planned for early 2025.
Read the full announcement from SAP SE here.
"As talent partner to SAP customers and SAP professionals in Europe, the competition to hire ABAP and SAP Fiori experts is fierce," said Matthew Farnell, Divisional Manager at Energize SAP.
"Versus the same period in 2023, we can report an uplift of 30% more vacant career opportunities for ABAP expertise opened by our customers in 2024. Businesses seeking to hire ABAP and Fiori professionals must ensure they are on their migration journey to S/4HANA, if they have not already upgraded. The very best talent in this module of SAP are motivated by the proposition of working within SAP’s newest technologies – such as the latest updates to SAP Build – so for SAP end users, we recommend you take these steps to stay competitive in your IT recruitment and talent acquisition.”
If you're looking for more information about the SAP employment market, we recommend you access our latest Salary Guide. Powered by data from 10,000 SAP professionals, the Energize SAP Salary Guide provides the latest market intelligence and insights for your career, and to bring your talent acquisition strategy to success. Download yours here!
Ready to make a change? Find our latest career opportunities in SAP ABAP here.
Matthew Farnell
Divisional Manager
Energize SAP