Sextante

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An SAP GUI (SE80)-style workbench inside VS Code, built on top of SAP's official extension "ABAP Development Tools for Visual Studio Code". An always-visible side panel where you pick the system, search an object by name, see its structure as a tree and act with visible buttons. Sextante only navigates, shows status and triggers the official extension's commands: editing, activating, locking and debugging are still done by it.

Preview release. Built for ABAP developers who work across several S/4HANA systems. The user interface is currently in Spanish; English is planned. Not affiliated with or endorsed by SAP SE.

Requirements

• VS Code 1.100 or later (also works in VS Code-based editors that install from Open VSX).
• SAP's ABAP Development Tools for Visual Studio Code extension (sapse.adt-vscode). If it is missing, Sextante tells you and offers to install it. Sextante reads its list of destinations (destinations.json) and uses its abap: file system; there is no separate list of systems.
• An S/4HANA system the official extension can connect to. ECC is out of scope.

Quick tutorial

The same tour is available inside VS Code: Ctrl+Shift+P → Welcome: Open Walkthrough… → Primeros pasos con Sextante.

1. Connect a system. Open Sextante in the activity bar. Systems come from the official extension; the first time you set each one's role (DEV, QAS or PRD) and log on with your user.

2. Find an object. Buscar objeto button or Sextante: Buscar objeto: programs, classes, includes, tables, function modules and transactions by name.

3. Walk its structure. The Object view shows includes, local classes, methods and events, like SE80. One click takes you to the code.

4. Act in one click. Activate, Activate all, Check syntax, ATC, Unit tests, transport and versions, always in sight.

5. Dictionary in context. Hover a table or a field to see its structure; the Dictionary panel keeps it pinned and generates TYPES, SELECT and DATA.

6. Work with an AI agent. Connect Claude Code with Sextante: Conectar el agente (Claude Code). The agent proposes every change as a diff and you decide with Aplicar (apply) or Rechazar (reject).

What it does

Systems. Lists your destinations and, the first time, asks each one's role: DEV, QAS or PRD. Nothing else to configure. Shows which channel it uses for quick search and the dictionary.

Find object. Quick search by name (programs, classes, interfaces, tables, function modules, transactions…), plus full-text search in ABAP.

Object. SE80 / SE24-style tree of the open object: components, methods, includes, with a jump to the code. Pin the object and open methods as a block. Ctrl+click (or F12) on a PERFORM goes to its FORM, even in another include of the program, like SE80's double click. Alt+Left Arrow takes you back.

Actions. Buttons on the active object: Activate, Activate all…, Check syntax, ATC, Unit tests, Transport, Compare with the last version or with another system, Execute, Documentation and Version history. They are the official extension's commands, one click closer.

Packages. Package explorer for the active system.

Dictionary in context. Hover a table, field, data element, domain, message, function module or method to see its definition. The Dictionary panel adds "Ver datos" (data preview, tables only), where-used limited to your own objects, and generates TYPES, SELECT or DATA at the cursor.

Transport requests, versions and monitor. Your transport requests per system and the request of the open object; version history with diffs; compare the same object across DEV / QAS / PRD; today's short dumps (ST22) summarized with jumps to the code; inactive objects.

SQL console with validated identifiers (never free text) and a guided New ABAP object.

AI agent. Sextante ships a local MCP server (127.0.0.1 only, token-protected) so Claude Code or any MCP client sees what you see: the open object, the cursor, the whole program with its includes and its structure. The agent proposes every code change as a diff you apply or reject, checks syntax, runs unit tests and ATC, queries the system (release and components), requests new objects through the official wizard and keeps a journal per object. Writing is allowed only on DEV systems and activation always asks for your confirmation. Guide: docs/agente-ia.md (Spanish).

"Sextante Oscuro" theme with a One Dark palette and grammars for ABAP and ABAP SQL. Optional: the extension suggests it once.

How it connects

You never pick a channel. Per system, Sextante decides:

1. RFC, when the destination is protocol: rfc and the JRE and JCo installed by the official extension are present. Windows only.
2. REST over direct HTTP to ADT, when a URL is saved or a candidate answers.
3. The official extension's search, otherwise.

Destinations with SSO/SNC use neither its own RFC nor REST. BTP (OAuth) is not supported for its own connection.

Security and privacy

• On systems with role QAS or PRD, code opens read-only and Activate, Activate all…, Lock and Transport are disabled. A safety net, not access control.
• Passwords for its own connection are stored only in VS Code's secret storage. Never in settings, files or logs.
• Over RFC, QAS/PRD only allow reads; any write is rejected.
• No telemetry. Sextante sends nothing anywhere except your SAP system.
• The log (Output channel "Sextante") only holds the shape of requests and counts.

Configuration

Almost none. Each system asks once for its role and, if REST search is used, the password. Your own object prefixes (Z and Y by default) are extended from the Dictionary panel with "Añadir a prefijos propios".

Known limitations

• The RFC channel exists only on Windows; macOS and Linux use REST or the official search.
• No SSO/SNC or BTP for its own connection.
• S/4HANA only, because the official extension does not support ECC.
• User interface in Spanish for now.

License

Free and open source under the MIT license (LICENSE.md): use, copy, modify and redistribute it, commercially too, keeping the copyright notice. A contribution to the SAP community by Lennin Rodriguez, SAP ABAP developer from Honduras.

Sextante requires SAP SE's official "ABAP Development Tools for Visual Studio Code" extension, installed separately under its own license; Sextante does not include or redistribute any SAP component. SAP, ABAP and S/4HANA are trademarks of SAP SE, mentioned only to describe compatibility. Sextante is not affiliated with or endorsed by SAP SE.