SAP ABAP vs SAP HANA Development 2025: A Complete Guide for Learners
The world of SAP is changing quickly, and in 2025, one of the most asked questions by IT professionals and freshers is – SAP ABAP vs SAP HANA Development: which one should I learn?
Both SAP ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming) and SAP HANA Development play an important role in enterprise solutions. ABAP is the traditional programming language of SAP, while HANA is a modern in-memory database and development platform. Choosing between them depends on your career goals, skills, and market demand.
In this blog, we will explore the difference between SAP ABAP and SAP HANA Development in 2025, compare career scope, salary trends, runtime differences, and answer common questions like “SAP ABAP or HANA, which is better?”
What is ABAP?
ABAP full form is Advanced Business Application Programming.
ABAP is a fourth-generation programming language (4GL) created by SAP to build and customize business applications. ABAP is mainly used for building custom applications, reports, forms, workflows, and interfaces in SAP ERP systems.
Key highlights of ABAP:
Procedural and object-oriented programming support.
Used in classic SAP ECC and also in S/4HANA (with optimization).
Provides a stable career path for SAP developers.
Strong demand in industries that still run on traditional SAP systems.
What is SAP HANA Development?
SAP HANA is a next-generation in-memory data platform that not only serves as a powerful database but also delivers a high-speed computing environment for real-time processing.
Developers working on HANA focus on native development, SQL scripting, CDS views, and advanced analytics.
HANA developers work with:
Data models and CDS views.
SQLScript programming.
SAPUI5 and Fiori apps for frontend development.
Integrations with cloud platforms.
SAP HANA is the future of SAP technology, especially because most companies are moving to SAP S/4HANA.
ABAP Runtime vs HANA Runtime
One of the biggest technical differences is in the runtime environments:
ABAP runtime → Handles the execution of ABAP programs at the application layer, ensuring smooth processing of business logic.
HANA runtime → Executes queries directly in-memory, which makes data processing faster.
👉 In S/4HANA systems, developers use ABAP on HANA, which means ABAP code is optimized to run on the HANA database for maximum performance.
SAP ABAP vs SAP HANA Development: Salary Trends 2025
Many learners search for “SAP ABAP vs SAP HANA Development salary” before choosing a career path.
Here’s what the salary landscape looks like in 2025 (India and Global trends):
| Role | Average Salary in India (2025) | Average Salary Globally (2025) | Growth Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAP ABAP Developer | ₹6–10 LPA | $70,000 – $100,000 | Stable but slower |
| SAP HANA Developer | ₹8–14 LPA | $85,000 – $120,000 | High growth |
👉 As you can see, SAP HANA Development offers slightly higher salaries, but ABAP is still in strong demand, especially in companies using SAP ECC and transitioning to S/4HANA.
SAP ABAP or HANA – Which is Better in 2025?
The most common question on forums like “SAP ABAP vs SAP HANA Development Reddit” is – Which one should I learn?
The answer depends on your background:
If you are from a programming background (Java, C++, Python), SAP HANA Development might be easier since it is data-driven and involves SQL, CDS, and UI5.
If you are looking for a stable and long-term career, SAP ABAP is a safer choice because millions of companies still run on ABAP-based systems.
For the best future-proof option, learning ABAP on HANA gives you the advantage of both.
👉 So, the answer to “SAP ABAP or HANA, which is better?” is – learn both, but prioritize ABAP on HANA to stay relevant in the next 5–10 years.
Difference Between SAP HANA and S/4HANA
Many learners confuse SAP HANA with S/4HANA. Let’s clarify:
SAP HANA → A database and development platform.
SAP S/4HANA → SAP’s next-generation ERP system, built to run on the HANA database.
👉 To put it simply, SAP HANA acts as the engine, while S/4HANA is the complete car that runs on it. Developers need to understand both for a successful SAP career.
SAP HANA Breakouts – Why Companies are Switching
In 2025, SAP HANA continues to dominate because of:
Faster real-time reporting and analytics.
Ability to process big data in seconds.
Essential for companies adopting S/4HANA.
Cloud-ready and scalable.
👉 These SAP HANA breakouts make it clear why demand for HANA skills is growing.
ABAP on HANA – The Bridge Between Both Worlds
If you’re confused about whether to go for ABAP or HANA, the middle ground is ABAP on HANA.
What is ABAP on HANA?
It is the optimized way of writing ABAP programs that run directly on the HANA database, using:
CDS views
AMDP (ABAP Managed Database Procedures)
Fiori UI
👉 This means you don’t have to choose between the two. Instead, you can combine ABAP’s business logic with HANA’s high-speed performance.
Career Outlook: ABAP vs HANA in 2025
SAP ABAP → Offers a stable career path, essential in traditional ECC systems, and continues to play a key role in S/4HANA with optimizations.
SAP HANA Development → Future-oriented, higher salaries, required in advanced analytics, AI, and cloud-based SAP solutions.
ABAP on HANA → Best option for long-term career growth, as it combines both worlds.
Learning SAP ABAP and HANA – The Role of GTR Academy
If you are serious about building a career in SAP, the right training institute makes all the difference.
GTR Academy is one of the best places to learn SAP courses online in India. They offer:
SAP ABAP full training with certification.
SAP HANA and S/4HANA development programs.
Hands-on projects, live case studies, and practice exercises.
Placement assistance for freshers and working professionals.
👉 Whether you are searching for “SAP ABAP tutorial,” “What is ABAP on HANA,” or want to master ABAP runtime vs HANA runtime, GTR Academy provides a structured learning path.
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Final Thoughts
In 2025, the debate of SAP ABAP vs SAP HANA Development is not about replacing one with the other but about adapting and combining both skills.
If your priority is long-term stability and reliability, SAP ABAP is the better choice.
If you want growth and higher packages, learn SAP HANA Development.
If you want the best of both worlds, master ABAP on HANA.
👉 With companies moving towards S/4HANA, professionals who understand both ABAP and HANA runtime will have the highest demand and best salary packages.
