In the evolving landscape of enterprise integration, RESTful services have become the de facto standard for lightweight, scalable, and flexible communication between systems. SAP Cloud Platform Integration (CPI), a core service of SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), provides powerful tools to connect and orchestrate REST APIs efficiently. One such essential tool is the REST Adapter, designed to simplify REST-based integrations.
This article explores the functionality, configuration, and practical use of the REST Adapter within SAP Cloud Platform, enabling integration developers to harness REST APIs effectively in their scenarios.
The REST Adapter is a communication component within SAP CPI that facilitates sending and receiving messages using RESTful web services. It supports various HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH) and is capable of handling different data formats such as JSON, XML, and plain text.
By using the REST Adapter, developers can easily integrate SAP and non-SAP cloud or on-premise applications that expose REST APIs, allowing seamless data exchange and process integration.
Within your integration design, add a sender or receiver step and select the REST Adapter.
Address: Enter the REST service URL or endpoint.
HTTP Method: Choose from GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, or PATCH based on the API.
Authentication: Configure authentication type:
Specify the content type such as application/json or application/xml. This ensures correct serialization and deserialization of payloads.
Add or override HTTP headers as needed, including custom headers required by the REST service. Configure query parameters and path variables dynamically using expressions or properties.
Set appropriate timeout values and retry mechanisms for resilience in unstable network conditions.
Use the SAP CPI test tools or Postman to validate the REST endpoint integration before deploying to production.
The REST Adapter in SAP Cloud Platform Integration is an essential tool that bridges SAP landscapes with the modern RESTful API ecosystem. Its flexibility, broad protocol support, and rich configuration options enable developers to build scalable, secure, and maintainable integration flows.
Mastering the REST Adapter allows SAP professionals to unlock new integration possibilities, connect diverse applications effortlessly, and drive digital transformation initiatives with agility.