SASjs - the DevOps Framework for SAS

Allan Bowe

4GL Apps - about

• UK Company
• SAS Subcontractor
• Focus on SAS Solutions

4GL Apps - Products

• Data Controller for SAS
• SASensei ( https://4gl.uk -> win a T-shirt )
• SASjs

4GL Apps - Solutions

• SAS App Modernisation (AF/SCL + SAS/Intrnet)
• SAS App Migration (STP web apps to Viya)
• SAS App Manifestation & Support

4GL Apps - Customers

• UK (Department of Work & Pensions, Lloyds List Intelligence)
• Germany (Der Touristik, Siemens Healthineers)
• US, Italy (SAS Institute)
• Sweden (AFA, SKR)
• Belgium (Allianz)
• Denmark, Netherlands, and Canada in pipeline

Demo - Data Controller

• https://datacontroller.io
• https://docs.datacontroller.io
• https://demo.datacontroller.io
• https://code.datacontroller.io

Challenges with Traditional SAS Projects

• Scattered Artefacts > Hard to navigate - changes are lost
• Shared Environment > Edits affect everyone
• Single Server > Migration Management

The absence of a standardised framework makes for inconsistent project delivery and on-boarding struggles for new developers

SASjs Workflow

Why Do SAS Developers It?

• Use preferred IDE > VS Code / Sublime / Vim
• Access to the terminal > Shell scripts, Python
• Access to local applications > GIT GUI / Doxygen

Why Do SAS Admins It?

• Nothing to install or provision on the SAS server
• No SSH nor special permissions needed anywhere
• Nothing to configure, except:
  • Optional: Access to the target folder
  • Optional: Client / Secret (Viya)
  • Optional: SAS 9 setting for encoded passwords

Why Do Project Leads It?

• Faster to on-board new developers
• Ability to work on multiple features in parallel
• Complete visibility of what is being developed

SASjs Stats

• 100% MIT open source
• Over 55k downloads
• ~ 20 contributors
• 35 Repositories

SASjs Framework

1. An Opinionated Approach - which led to the development of:
2. A Collection of Tools for SAS Solution Development
   • @sasjs/core - Macro library
   • @sasjs/server - Web Server & REST API for Base SAS
   • @sasjs/vscode-extension - both VS Code and VSCodium
   • @sasjs/cli - CI/CD and Automated Deployment

SASjs Core

• ~250 macros for application development
• Documentation + Tests
• Base SAS, Viya, Metadata, SASjs Server

https://core.sasjs.io

SASjs Server

A Web Server and REST API for Base SAS. Can run in Desktop or Server mode

• SASjs Drive for content
• SASjs Studio for code execution
• SASjs AppStream for deployed Apps
• Python, R, JS, SAS runtimes / Stored Programs
• Multi-user auth, LDAP, Permissions, SSL, Load Balancing

https://server.sasjs.io

SASjs VS Code Extension

• Works on all SAS Platforms
• Supports VS Codium, Theia
• Run SAS code & fetch log
• Sync local/remote dirs
• Includes sasjs/lint
• Target Manager

SASjs CLI - Execution

• sasjs run > Execute arbitrary SAS code
• sasjs job execute > Run a Job
• sasjs flow execute > Run a collection of Jobs

SASjs CLI - Deployment

• sasjs cbd > Compile, Build, & Deploy
  • Compiled Jobs / Services / Tests
  • Freeform Logical Content (syncFolder path)
  • Freeform Physical Content (syncDirectories array)

SASjs CLI - Extra Goodies

• sasjs lint -> capture SAS coding issues prior to git push
• sasjs doc -> generate HTML docs for an entire SAS project
• sasjs test -> deploy self-contained tests for Jobs, Services & Macros

SASjs Framework - Extra Goodies

• Seed apps to kick start a project (Angular, React, Vanilla JS, Electron, Jobs-only, Docs-only)
• SASjs/utils library - import features directly into your own products
• Support Channel - https://matrix.to/#/#sasjs:4gl.io

Allan Bowe, Chief SAS App Officer

https://4gl.uk/book
https://matrix.to/#/@allan:4gl.io
https://www.linkedin.com/in/allanbowe/