An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for providing seamless multiple format metadata abstraction. A metadata application programming interface (API) is provided to abstract metadata from an incoming business object and provide it to an adapter for processing. The metadata API is configured to operate on multiple metadata formats such as SDO and JavaBean such that the adapter receives the metadata from the metadata API in a common format that is compatible with the adapter. In this manner, the multiple metadata formats may be plugably used with the adapter.