Difference between Webdynpro ABAP and Webdynpro JAVA

Webdynpro for ABAP and Webdynpro JAVA use the same declarative metamodel concept based on MVC pattern to create web applications. Everything about Webdynpro ABAP is same as Webdynpro JAVA, except that it uses ABAP as programming language instead of JAVA. It also has a graphical interface tool that is integrated with the ABAP Workbench (Transaction Se80). Both Webdynpro ABAP and Webdynpro JAVA applications are run in the Enterprise Portal.

What is the difference between Webdynpro JAVA and Webdynpro ABAP?

The main difference between Webdynpro JAVA and Webdynpro ABAP is that Model doesn’t have much significance in Webdynpro ABAP. In fact there is no option for model available in the Graphical tool set to develop Webdynpro ABAP application. But we still have the option of defining an ABAP class which helps to read data and save data back to table. The instance of this class should be used as model within the component and this is the proper design. Webdynpro ABAP gives new option called Service Call. In Service Call a wizard creates a custom controller based on the BAPI or Web Service that we give. Context of this controller will be generated based on the import – export parameters of BAPI or Web Service. The wizard will also automatically create methods in the controller to execute the BAPI or Web service and pass the data to Context. This Custom controller can be used within other controllers to read and update data.

Other main difference in Webdynpro ABAP is that code is stored centrally in the ABAP server, so it relieves the load from developer’s client machine where code is stored in the case of Webdynpro JAVA. Webdynpro ABAP has much more powerful Version control system than Webdynpro JAVA as the code is stored centrally in the server. In webdynpro JAVA as each developer is checking out and checking in the code, there are chances of conflicts. Webdynpro ABAP uses the same Transport Management system as R/3, so there is no need to maintain parallel Transport Management system which is the case in Webdynpro JAVA. Webdynpro JAVA runs on sun’s proven web server (J2EE engine) which can support large number of web users at a time. But the ABAP server is yet to prove its credential as a reliable Web Server. So if the number of users are large, its better to go for Webdynpro JAVA and if the number is medium or manageable, you can go for Webdynpro for ABAP. Performance and scalability should be the major criteria while choosing between Webdynpro JAVA and Webdynpro ABAP.