SAP Fiori Elements offers a powerful framework to build SAP applications rapidly using standardized templates driven by metadata annotations. This approach ensures consistency, accelerates development, and reduces UI coding effort. However, business requirements often demand custom functionality beyond the standard templates. To accommodate this, SAP provides extensibility options that allow developers to tailor and enhance Fiori Elements applications without losing the benefits of the framework.
This article explores various techniques and best practices for extending SAP Fiori Elements, empowering SAP developers and consultants to implement custom features efficiently while maintaining upgrade compatibility and performance.
SAP Fiori Elements provides predefined extension points within standard templates.
Developers can inject custom UI elements or JavaScript code at these points.
Common extension points include adding custom fields, buttons, or modifying table columns.
How to use:
Prefer Declarative Annotations Over Code:
Always try to fulfill requirements using metadata annotations first. This approach is cleaner, easier to maintain, and upgrade-friendly.
Use Extension Points Wisely:
Use SAP’s provided extension points to insert custom logic instead of modifying core template code to ensure future compatibility.
Avoid Direct Modifications of Generated Code:
Never change the auto-generated Fiori Elements code directly; always use extensions and enhancements.
Keep Custom Logic Modular:
Structure custom code in separate fragments, controllers, or components for easy maintenance and testing.
Test on Multiple Devices:
Ensure your extensions work well across desktop, tablet, and mobile platforms.
Document Your Extensions:
Maintain clear documentation for customizations to assist future developers and support teams.
Monitor Performance Impact:
Extensions should be optimized to avoid slowing down the application or increasing load times.
manifest.json under sap.ui.generic.app → pages → component → actions.Extending SAP Fiori Elements is essential for tailoring SAP applications to meet specific business needs while preserving the advantages of a metadata-driven development approach. By leveraging extension points, annotation enhancements, and controller extensions—guided by best practices—developers can deliver robust, maintainable, and upgrade-safe customizations.
Mastering these techniques equips SAP professionals to build scalable and user-friendly Fiori apps that precisely align with organizational processes and user expectations.