Hands-on domain modelling with CAP's CDS at UKISUG Connect
A quick overview of the hands-on workshop I'll be running at UKISUG Connect this year.
As I mentioned in my Upcoming talks in autumn 2025 post recently, I'll be attending and speaking at UKISUG Connect. I have a couple of sessions, a hands-on workshop on the Sunday and a technical track talk on the Monday.
In this post I want to describe the hands-on workshop, what to expect, and (if you intend to participate in the actual hands-on part) what you need.
First, from the session page, here's the synopsis:
Become acquainted with CAP's CDS, the common language that binds domain experts, with their key business & process knowledge, to developers. A hands-on-optional session where we'll explore the language & concepts together and get comfortable with it.
There are also the full session details:
What happened to systems analysts, module specialists?
Nothing - they're still here, and called "domain experts". What's more, there's a common language that binds them, with their key business & process knowledge, to developers, with their knowledge of best practices & developer tools.
That common language is CDS - a succinct, powerful and flexible way to describe the domain model and associated functionality for a given solution.
We'll learn by doing, collaboratively exploring how to model entities, relationships, functions and more to build the domain model definition to be at the heart of the solution.
Bring and work on your own laptop (setup instructions provided) or just take part in the Q&A style conversation led by the instructor.
That last sentence is important, and worth explaining. I would like to make the session as welcoming and open as possible, even to those with no prior experience of CAP or CDS, and to non-developers.
Additionally, I know that some folks simply may not have their laptops with them, or not want to set things up to participate in the exercises. That is absolutely fine.
You can participate:
- either on your laptop, working through the exercises with me and the rest of your fellow hands-on enthusiasts
- or listen & watch, and take part in the conversation we'll have throughout the 2 hours, as I work through the exercises myself too, on the big screen, for all to see
The first option will require you to set up (or already have) a trial account on the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) - more on that in the Preparation for doing the exercises section below.
The second option is just as valid and the more questions and back and forth we generate between us the better for all! And there's no preparation required, except perhaps to pack your curiosity and bring it with you.
Preparation for doing the exercises
If you do want to take the first option, and work through the exercises on your laptop as I lead the session working through them myself, then arguably the easiest option for you is to use the SAP Business Application Studio, the online IDE available for free in an BTP trial account.
- To get a trial account, follow the tutorial Get an Account on SAP BTP Trial.
- Once you've done that, follow the tutorial Set Up SAP Business Application Studio for Development.
Then you're all set.
Either way, I encourage you to pop down to the hands-on workshop rooms on Sunday afternoon and join me!