Why CDS Is the Foundation of RAP and Modern SAP Development

Throughout this chapter, we explored why SAP introduced Core Data Services (CDS) and how CDS became the cornerstone of SAP's modern development architecture.

We started with the challenges of traditional ABAP development, where large volumes of data were transferred from the database to the application server for processing.

This approach became increasingly difficult to scale as enterprise systems grew and business requirements became more complex.

To address these challenges, SAP introduced the Code Pushdown paradigm, enabling calculations and data processing to execute directly inside the database.

The transformation to modern SAP development was made possible by SAP HANA and its underlying innovations:

• In-Memory Computing
• Column Store Architecture
• Data Compression
• Parallel Processing

Together, these technologies created a platform capable of processing massive datasets in real time.

CDS emerged as SAP's strategic data modeling framework for leveraging this new architecture.

One of the most common misconceptions among new developers is that CDS is simply a modern replacement for database views.

In reality, CDS is much more than that.

CDS combines:

• Data Modeling
• Business Semantics
• Relationships
• Metadata
• Security
• Service Consumption

within a single framework.

This allows developers to define business-oriented models that can be reused across multiple applications and technologies.

Instead of exposing raw database tables, CDS exposes meaningful business entities such as:

• Product
• Business Partner
• Sales Order
• Purchase Order
• Supplier
• Accounting Document

This business-oriented approach aligns perfectly with SAP's vision for modern application development.

Today, CDS sits at the center of SAP S/4HANA architecture.

Many core SAP technologies are built on top of CDS, including:

• SAP Fiori Elements
• Embedded Analytics
• OData Services
• Released APIs
• Virtual Data Model (VDM)
• RAP Business Objects

This means that understanding CDS is no longer optional for SAP developers.

Whether you are building reports, APIs, analytical applications, or transactional business applications, CDS will almost always be involved.

The relationship between CDS and RAP is especially important.

Every RAP Business Object starts with a CDS data model.

CDS defines:

• Business Entities
• Associations
• Compositions
• Search Capabilities
• Metadata
• Authorization Behavior

RAP then builds upon this foundation by introducing:

• Create
• Update
• Delete
• Actions
• Determinations
• Validations
• Draft Handling
• Transaction Management

In simple terms:

CDS defines the business data model.

RAP defines the business behavior.

Without CDS, RAP cannot exist.

This is why SAP recommends mastering CDS before moving into advanced RAP topics.

The importance of CDS becomes even greater in ABAP Cloud.

Modern SAP development is built around the principles of:

• Clean Core
• Released APIs
• Upgrade Stability
• Cloud Readiness

CDS plays a critical role in achieving these objectives.

Instead of directly accessing SAP tables, developers consume released CDS APIs and VDM entities that provide stable and supported access to business data.

This approach reduces upgrade risks and aligns custom development with SAP's long-term architecture strategy.

Now that you understand the architecture, purpose, and strategic importance of CDS, the next step is learning how CDS models are actually built.

In the next chapter, we will compare:

• ABAP Dictionary Views
• Classic CDS Views
• CDS View Entities

and understand why CDS View Entities have become SAP's recommended approach for RAP and ABAP Cloud development.

This knowledge will form the foundation for everything that follows in the RAP learning journey.

You now understand why CDS is the foundation of modern SAP development.

In the next learning path, we will move from CDS fundamentals into practical CDS development using CDS View Entities.

You will learn how to create CDS entities, define keys, associations, compositions, annotations, calculated fields, and prepare CDS models for RAP Business Objects.