Writing a custom application for delivery via SAP Enterprise Portal (SAP EP) no longer means simply writing a custom ABAP report or module pool — SAP NetWeaver’s native support for Java and .NET, in addition to ABAP, has dramatically expanded the menu of languages, tools, and approaches available to you for custom development. This article is the first in a two-part series designed to help you make the right choice for developing custom content and applications and deploying them in your own SAP EP implementation. This first installment compares the pros, cons, prerequisites, and strategic implications of the options that are easiest to implement; the remaining options are covered in the second installment.