Does WD ABAP harbingers the down fall of WD JAVA

Question

Hi All,
         I want to discuss whether the dawn of WD ABAP harbingers the dusk of WD JAVA or is it just to add versatility to WD.
So should JAVA developers pack their bags :O  and look out for more avenues ??????
Please discuss.
Cheers
Umang

Answer 1

Hi,
This seems like the hottest debate in SAP shops these days. There has been a slow and steady build up towards SAPu2019s move to Java based development in the last few years with Netweaver. And that seemed to be culminating in SAPu2019s WEBDYNPRO framework which optimizes the MVC paradigm into something most suitable for business application development. Traditional Java developers hitherto using JSPDynpPage or DynPage development for Portal development seem to be smitten by Webdynpro for Java and swear by ease of development of common business applications using Webdynpro for Java. It is apparently robust and high performance. It brings to the Java world the basic tenets of SAPu2019s traditional dynpro programming where the developer strictly works in a module pool framework for PBO and PAI, does simplified coding, and scaling, performance and best practices are implicit in the framework itself. So far so good.
And then, last year SAP came out with the same framework for ABAP language. Which suddenly seems like natural progression for SAPu2019s ABAP development community - to develop web based business applications within the familiar SE80 environment which also brings to the table all the goodies associated with the Webdynpro framework.
So as SAP development shops were gearing for significant changes in their skill mix (trying to bring on a mix of Java skills inhouse), suddenly there is a new found hope that afterall, after all the scare and uncertainity of the move towards Java, finally there was a Knight in form of Webdynpro for ABAP that can bring back the glory and stability to ABAP developers career.
But the question is how to fairly decide how to go about preferring one language to another with the Webdynpro paradigm.
Why is WEBDYNPRO good for Java development?
Relatively easy and fast application development as compared to other usual J2EE options via use of visual models/code-editors. Comparable with Java Server Faces (JSF).
Generated applications independent of different UIs u2013 like Web, Rich-clients, Mobile devices.
Scalability, robustness and performance are handled by the framework to a large extend
Code available for reuse and modification
What is SAPu2019s own take on Webdynpro for Java?
SAPu2019s is using Webdynpro for Java as a strategic tool to produces robust and highly scalable J2EE architecture applications. SAP is in the process of rewriting Employee Self Service (ESS) and Manager Self Service (MSS) applications using Webdynpro for Java. CRM 5.0 uses this functionality. Important SAP Portal applications like User and Role management transaction, Universal Work List (UWL) use Webdynpro for Java.
What are the downsides of Webdynpro?
Framework proprietary to SAP u2013 as opposed to any standard J2EE framework (like Java Server Faces)
Not complete freedom to design user interface elements as only specific objects and their properties can be manipulated
Not possible to include application data u2018scripletsu2019 into HTML markup
Cannot use Javascript, DHTML, etc. - so limited freedom to do frontend screen design (as familiar to web developers)
Custom Style-sheet integration
Training implications?
For Webdynpro for Java - there is a learning curve for Java developers, not to mention a very steep one for ABAP developers
For Webdynpro for ABAP - its other way around - easier for ABAP developers (especially if they are experts in Object Oriented (OO) ABAP). A Java developer would be wasting time learning Webdynpro for ABAP.
thanks
Suresh