A platform, in a modern technology context like SAP BTP, is fundamentally an architecture that enables interactions and the development of complementary products or services. The core element that facilitates this interaction and extensibility is the interface (most commonly, an Application Programming Interface or API). Interfaces act as the contractual points of connection, allowing applications, services, and third-party developers to access the platform's core functionalities and data in a controlled and standardized manner. The platform's value is derived from its ability to be extended and integrated with, which is only possible through well-defined interfaces.

A. Provider: A provider is the entity that owns and operates the platform (e.g., SAP is the provider of SAP BTP), not a technical element of the platform's architecture.

B. Application: An application is a consumer of the platform's services; it is built on or runs on the platform, rather than being a fundamental component of the platform itself.

D. Organization: An organization is a logical construct representing a customer or tenant that uses the platform. It is a user entity, not a core architectural element of the platform.

---

1. SAP Help Portal

SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) Documentation: The documentation for core BTP services like the SAP Integration Suite and its API Management capability describes how APIs (interfaces) are the central mechanism for connecting and extending applications. It states

"With API Management

you can securely publish your APIs to application developers

partners

and other consumers for them to discover and use." This positions the interface as the primary element for platform interaction.

Source: SAP Help Portal

"What Is API Management?" section within the SAP Integration Suite documentation.

2. Tiwana

A. (2014). Platform Ecosystems: Aligning Architecture

Governance

and Strategy. Waltham

MA: Morgan Kaufmann. This peer-reviewed academic book is a foundational text on platform architecture. Tiwana defines a platform's architecture as consisting of a core and a periphery. The interaction between them is mediated by "boundary resources

" which are explicitly defined as the platform's interfaces (e.g.

APIs and SDKs).

Reference: Chapter 3

"Platform Architecture

" pp. 41-44.

3. SAP White Paper (2022). SAP's Approach to the Clean Core for SAP S/4HANA and SAP S/4HANA Cloud. This official document outlines SAP's strategy for extensibility

which is central to its platform concept. It emphasizes that extensions should be built on SAP BTP and connect to the S/4HANA core exclusively through stable

public APIs (interfaces)

reinforcing the interface as the essential architectural element for platform-based development.

Reference: Section 3

"The Clean Core Principles

" Principle 2: "Extend the solution with SAP BTP using released SAP APIs."