SAP
Feature Request: Merging SAPUI5 features into OpenUI5, revise separation between SAPUI5 and OpenUI5
OpenUI5 could be a great framework for building modern enterprise-grade applications. But more you go inside, faster you realize that many features, essential for an enterprise app, for instance, export table content into Excel-file (sap.ui.export.Spreadsheet), and more complicated controllers, e.g., smart controls (sap.ui.comp), are available exclusively in SAPUI5, but not in its open-source counterpart.
It would be great to revise the border between SAPUI5 and OpenUI5, ideally to merge them completely, leaving in SAPUI5 only those features, that are directly related to integration with SAP-based backend (OData, PI, ERP, etc.).
Such a step can turn the SAPUI5 platform to the standard framework for any modern enterprise app, which will be SAP-ready out-of-box from the very first day.
That's a huge feature request. 😄 But I share the same sentiment.
Some of the closed-source modules also seem to lack in high quality due to being less discoverable or having relatively low number of users, and thus less feedback or bug reports are collected compared to OpenUI5 modules.
I could create some incidents on SAP ONE Support Launchpad but the experience doing that was so poor that I finally gave up.
The sap.suite.ui.commons lib is already being open-sourced which is nice. Hope new developments can follow this direction making OpenUI5 more suitable for the "outside world".
Since all functionality is already implemented, it's a more strategic/political decision, rather than purely technical.
Thanks for the reference to sap.suite.ui.commons, although it is open-sourced it still doesn't appear on the OpenUI5 API Reference, even on the nightly version.
Hope, SAP will review this ticket, and we could benefit from the whole potential of the UI5 platform, even on open source projects.
@pubmikeb I personally think you got it right, not to forgot the possible technical complications, and that SAPUI5 is created by multiple internal and external teams, so I am not sure that there is that single person you can ask for that. I will log it though #1980358969
@stephania87, of course I realise, such request means a drastic change for the entire UI5-environment. But at the same time, I completely agree with @boghyon, more users use the whole featureset of SAPUI5, more feedback SAP gets, higher quality of the product we get at the end.
«I am not sure that there is that single person you can ask for that.» — I guess, the whole UI5 project manager/owner can raise such question on the appropriate SAP meeting/forum.
The
sap.suite.ui.commonslib is already being open-sourced which is nice.
Welp, it's now abandoned. https://github.com/sap-archive/openui5-suite/commit/7b6b647cd21f1d39742dc847f5a6d593f929aacb 😕 Actually right after a month since the start of the discussion here.
@pubmikeb There is a new initiative bringing sap.ui.comp modules to the OpenUI5 world. Would you be willing to share some thoughts on https://groups.community.sap.com/t5/coffee-corner/smart-controls-and-openui5/m-p/4723/highlight/true#M1124? Also check out this blog post by Vladimir Velinov for more context. The UI5 team is definitely taking your feedback seriously! ;)
@boghyon, thanks for sharing this thread, I've provided my feedback there. Hopefully, OpenUI5 functionality will be extended with Smart Controls.
One of the key question is:
Does it make sense that the complete library is moved into OpenUI5? Are all parts needed?
To simplify the future maintenance process, I think it would be easier to unify the codebase of SAPUI5 and OpenUI5 as much as possible. And let a developer decide which components to use. On the contrary, the more customization is done, the more expensive, bug prone and laborious will be the maintenance.
Hi @pubmikeb,
There were several attempts of my team members to address your request respectively to share newly open-sourced parts of SAPUI5. I understand your perspective and your request for "more/stronger steps," but I want to assure you that we are moving in the right direction. Whenever we create new assets, we make every effort to provide them as open source right away. However, there are challenges when it comes to existing parts, such as other people being responsible for them or the inclusion of third-party assets that cannot be open sourced due to licensing restrictions that conflict with the OpenUI5 license. Therefore, despite my personal desire to do so, it is not feasible to make SAPUI5 completely open source.
When looking at Introducing OpenUI5 2.x | SAP Blogs, you can see our commitment with regards to newly created open source assets as there is not yet a SAPUI5 version 2.x.
Therefore, I suggest closing this issue with our commitment to continue pushing strongly towards open source accepting the given boundaries.
Best regards Stefan Beck Chief Product Owner of the UI5 product family
@sbck70, thanks for the detailed information.
I'm closing this issue. If you'll get some further info on the subject, please, keep us updated.