OData ( open data protocol ) service is a web protocol and one of the common way for communicating with sap backend system with SAP UI5/Fiori or any other third party software's as front end, which works on HTTP(s), e.g salesforce, SAP C4C, CRM, or any other software's , portal.

OData is use to expose the SAP data with any other customer software’s which works on HTTP(S) as well it is use for updating the data into SAP system using ABAP.

Using Odata help us to access sap data from anywhere and from any device. With odata concept, client and server component can be developed independently . It is based on the REST architecture.

Prior to odata developer were using different SAP connectors like java connector , .net, php based connectors to established and communication channel between SAP and other software's. Because of the flexibility of odata service as we can consume it from any application which works on web Odata becomes a preferred way of communication over other methods like, IDOC, REST API, RFC/BAPI etc.

Advantages of OData :

•Odata light in weight

•It is very easy and relatively fast to access data

•We can get output in xml and json

•We can perform all web based methods like, GET, PUT, POST, DELETE and Query.

•Odata known for its stateless functionality, it means for every request from frontend system it gives the response , and server does not save any data. It treats every OData call as a new call.

•We can develop and test OData in sap OData gateway frame work, before giving it to front end developer.

•Due to advantage of complete framework in SAP for odata , compare to normal rest api development with which we do using resource handler class, the coding part is less in Odata