Glossary | Java & BAPI Technology for SAP

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Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT).: A set of classes that can be used for writing GUI programs.
ActiveX.: A set of technologies that enable software components to interact with one another in a networked environment, regardless of the language in which they were created. ActiveX is built on the Component Object Model (COM).
Applet.: A Java program that is executed through an interpreter in a browser.
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).: The interfaces and variables that are used by a distinct unit of code. APIs can also be used to access distinct units of code.
Bean.: A software object that interacts with other objects, according to a strict set of guidelines.
Business Application Programming Interface (BAPI).: A standardized interface that allows both internal and external programs to access business processes and data within SAP.
Business Object Repository (BOR).: A hierarchical collection of all the business functions contained within SAP.
Class.: The blueprint of an object in object-oriented programming. A class contains the definition of the variables and interfaces that each object should have, along with the variables and interfaces that the class alone will have.
Client.: The computer or instance that initiates communication with another computer or instance of software.
Component Object Model (COM).: Codeveloped by Microsoft and Digital Equipment Corporation, COM is based on the object-oriented programming concepts. A COM object must support the IUnknown interface.
Data Encapsulation.: Combining data and the functions that operate on that data into one composite type. In other words, the data and functions are packaged together in a superior and well-organized bundle (Class).
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).: A software collection that usually encompasses the main transactions that a business performs. SAP, BAAN, Oracle, and PeopleSoft are examples of ERP software packages.
Firewall.: Using a firewall is a method of restricting access both into and out of a software system.
Graphical User Interface (GUI).: Software that displays and accepts input from a user.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).: A language that is used to develop Web pages for the Internet, and for intranets.
Implementation Guide (IMG).: A set of configuration steps that must be completed to implement an area of SAP functionality.
Inheritance.: A method that allows one object to be created based on the properties and methods of another object.
Instantiate.: To create an object from a class.
Interface.: A collection of method definitions (without implementations) and constant values.
Intermediate Documents (IDoc).: Structured data packets that are sent back and forth between two systems via RFCs.
Internet.: A global collection of Web sites.
Internet Transaction Server (ITS).: A technology developed by SAP that allows users to execute standard SAP transactions through HTML pages.
Intranet.: A collection of Web sites behind a firewall, usually within one corporation.
Metadata.: Data that describes how other data is defined.
Method.: A piece of software that accesses and manipulates the variables of an object.
Object Linking and Embedding (OLE).: Microsoft’s object-based technology for sharing information and services across process and machine boundaries.
Object-Oriented Programming (OOP).: A programming method that breaks down programs into sets of interacting objects. Examples of programming languages that are centered on this concept are Java and C++.
Polymorphism.: The ability to decide which overload member function to invoke based on the real-time type of the object rather than the declared type of the object.
Proxy.: A piece of software that acts as a go-between for two applications.
Remote Function Call (RFC).: An interface or function module that can be executed on one system from a remote system.
Remote Procedure Call (RPC).: A protocol for accessing procedures residing in other computers from C program environments. RPC is related to Remote Function Call (RFC).
Server.: The computer or instance that receives the first communication from a client computer or instance.
Structured Query Language (SQL).: Microsoft’s language for defining and manipulating data.
Thread.: The path that a program takes during execution. Threads include not only the program statements, but also the memory stack and register values of the program as it executes.
Transaction.: A group of business steps that perform one logical business unit of work.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL).: A unique string of characters that define the location of a specific document or Web site on the Internet.

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