| name | sap-abap |
| description | Comprehensive ABAP development skill for SAP systems. Use when writing ABAP code,
working with internal tables, structures, ABAP SQL, object-oriented programming,
RAP (RESTful Application Programming Model), CDS views, EML statements, ABAP Cloud
development, string processing, dynamic programming, RTTI/RTTC, field symbols,
data references, exception handling, or ABAP unit testing. Covers both classic
ABAP and modern ABAP for Cloud Development patterns.
|
| license | GPL-3.0 |
| metadata | {"version":"1.0.0","last_updated":"2025-11-22"} |
SAP ABAP Development Skill
Quick Reference
Data Types and Declarations
" Elementary types
DATA num TYPE i VALUE 123.
DATA txt TYPE string VALUE `Hello`.
DATA flag TYPE abap_bool VALUE abap_true.
" Inline declarations
DATA(result) = some_method( ).
FINAL(immutable) = `constant value`.
" Structures
DATA: BEGIN OF struc,
id TYPE i,
name TYPE string,
END OF struc.
" Internal tables
DATA itab TYPE TABLE OF string WITH EMPTY KEY.
DATA sorted_tab TYPE SORTED TABLE OF struct WITH UNIQUE KEY id.
DATA hashed_tab TYPE HASHED TABLE OF struct WITH UNIQUE KEY id.
Internal Tables - Essential Operations
" Create with VALUE
itab = VALUE #( ( col1 = 1 col2 = `a` )
( col1 = 2 col2 = `b` ) ).
" Read operations
DATA(line) = itab[ 1 ]. " By index
DATA(line2) = itab[ col1 = 1 ]. " By key
READ TABLE itab INTO wa INDEX 1.
READ TABLE itab ASSIGNING FIELD-SYMBOL(<fs>) WITH KEY col1 = 1.
" Modify operations
MODIFY TABLE itab FROM VALUE #( col1 = 1 col2 = `updated` ).
itab[ 1 ]-col2 = `changed`.
" Loop processing
LOOP AT itab ASSIGNING FIELD-SYMBOL(<line>).
<line>-col2 = to_upper( <line>-col2 ).
ENDLOOP.
" Delete
DELETE itab WHERE col1 > 5.
DELETE TABLE itab FROM VALUE #( col1 = 1 ).
ABAP SQL Essentials
" SELECT into table
SELECT * FROM dbtab INTO TABLE @DATA(result_tab).
" SELECT with conditions
SELECT carrid, connid, fldate
FROM zdemo_abap_fli
WHERE carrid = 'LH'
INTO TABLE @DATA(flights).
" Aggregate functions
SELECT carrid, COUNT(*) AS cnt, AVG( price ) AS avg_price
FROM zdemo_abap_fli
GROUP BY carrid
INTO TABLE @DATA(stats).
" JOIN operations
SELECT a~carrid, a~connid, b~carrname
FROM zdemo_abap_fli AS a
INNER JOIN zdemo_abap_carr AS b ON a~carrid = b~carrid
INTO TABLE @DATA(joined).
" Modification statements
INSERT dbtab FROM @struc.
UPDATE dbtab FROM @struc.
MODIFY dbtab FROM TABLE @itab.
DELETE FROM dbtab WHERE condition.
Constructor Expressions
" VALUE - structures and tables
DATA(struc) = VALUE struct_type( comp1 = 1 comp2 = `text` ).
DATA(itab) = VALUE itab_type( ( a = 1 ) ( a = 2 ) ( a = 3 ) ).
" NEW - create instances
DATA(dref) = NEW i( 123 ).
DATA(oref) = NEW zcl_my_class( param = value ).
" CORRESPONDING - structure/table mapping
target = CORRESPONDING #( source ).
target = CORRESPONDING #( source MAPPING target_field = source_field ).
" COND/SWITCH - conditional values
DATA(text) = COND string( WHEN flag = abap_true THEN `Yes` ELSE `No` ).
DATA(result) = SWITCH #( code WHEN 1 THEN `A` WHEN 2 THEN `B` ELSE `X` ).
" CONV - type conversion
DATA(dec) = CONV decfloat34( 1 / 3 ).
" FILTER - table filtering
DATA(filtered) = FILTER #( itab WHERE status = 'A' ).
" REDUCE - aggregation
DATA(sum) = REDUCE i( INIT s = 0 FOR wa IN itab NEXT s = s + wa-amount ).
Object-Oriented ABAP
" Class definition
CLASS zcl_example DEFINITION PUBLIC FINAL CREATE PUBLIC.
PUBLIC SECTION.
METHODS constructor IMPORTING iv_name TYPE string.
METHODS get_name RETURNING VALUE(rv_name) TYPE string.
CLASS-METHODS factory RETURNING VALUE(ro_instance) TYPE REF TO zcl_example.
PRIVATE SECTION.
DATA mv_name TYPE string.
ENDCLASS.
CLASS zcl_example IMPLEMENTATION.
METHOD constructor.
mv_name = iv_name.
ENDMETHOD.
METHOD get_name.
rv_name = mv_name.
ENDMETHOD.
METHOD factory.
ro_instance = NEW #( `Default` ).
ENDMETHOD.
ENDCLASS.
" Interface implementation
CLASS zcl_impl DEFINITION PUBLIC.
PUBLIC SECTION.
INTERFACES zif_my_interface.
ENDCLASS.
Exception Handling
TRY.
DATA(result) = risky_operation( ).
CATCH cx_sy_zerodivide INTO DATA(exc).
DATA(msg) = exc->get_text( ).
CATCH cx_root INTO DATA(any_exc).
" Handle any exception
CLEANUP.
" Cleanup code
ENDTRY.
" Raising exceptions
RAISE EXCEPTION TYPE zcx_my_exception
EXPORTING textid = zcx_my_exception=>error_occurred.
" With COND/SWITCH
DATA(val) = COND #( WHEN valid THEN result
ELSE THROW zcx_my_exception( ) ).
String Processing
" Concatenation
DATA(full) = first && ` ` && last.
txt &&= ` appended`.
" String templates
DATA(msg) = |Name: { name }, Date: { date DATE = ISO }|.
" Functions
DATA(upper) = to_upper( text ).
DATA(len) = strlen( text ).
DATA(found) = find( val = text sub = `search` ).
DATA(replaced) = replace( val = text sub = `old` with = `new` occ = 0 ).
DATA(parts) = segment( val = text index = 2 sep = `,` ).
" FIND/REPLACE statements
FIND ALL OCCURRENCES OF pattern IN text RESULTS DATA(matches).
REPLACE ALL OCCURRENCES OF old IN text WITH new.
Dynamic Programming
" Field symbols
FIELD-SYMBOLS <fs> TYPE any.
ASSIGN struct-component TO <fs>.
ASSIGN struct-(comp_name) TO <fs>. " Dynamic component
" Data references
DATA dref TYPE REF TO data.
dref = REF #( variable ).
CREATE DATA dref TYPE (type_name).
dref->* = value.
" RTTI - Get type information
DATA(tdo) = cl_abap_typedescr=>describe_by_data( dobj ).
DATA(components) = CAST cl_abap_structdescr( tdo )->components.
" RTTC - Create types dynamically
DATA(elem_type) = cl_abap_elemdescr=>get_string( ).
CREATE DATA dref TYPE HANDLE elem_type.
Bundled Resources
This skill includes 28 comprehensive reference files covering all aspects of ABAP development:
Quick Access
- Reference Guide:
references/skill-reference-guide.md - Complete guide to all reference files
- Internal Tables:
references/internal-tables.md - Complete table operations
- ABAP SQL:
references/abap-sql.md - Comprehensive SQL reference
- Object Orientation:
references/object-orientation.md - Classes and interfaces
Development Topics
references/constructor-expressions.md - VALUE, NEW, COND, REDUCEreferences/rap-eml.md - RAP and EML operationsreferences/cds-views.md - CDS view developmentreferences/string-processing.md - String functions and regexreferences/unit-testing.md - ABAP Unit frameworkreferences/performance.md - Optimization techniques- ... and 18 more specialized references
Common Patterns
Safe Table Access (Avoid Exceptions)
" Using VALUE with OPTIONAL
DATA(line) = VALUE #( itab[ key = value ] OPTIONAL ).
" Using VALUE with DEFAULT
DATA(line) = VALUE #( itab[ 1 ] DEFAULT VALUE #( ) ).
" Check before access
IF line_exists( itab[ key = value ] ).
DATA(line) = itab[ key = value ].
ENDIF.
Functional Method Chaining
DATA(result) = NEW zcl_builder( )
->set_name( `Test` )
->set_value( 123 )
->build( ).
FOR Iteration Expressions
" Transform table
DATA(transformed) = VALUE itab_type(
FOR wa IN source_itab
( id = wa-id name = to_upper( wa-name ) ) ).
" With WHERE
DATA(filtered) = VALUE itab_type(
FOR wa IN source WHERE ( status = 'A' )
( wa ) ).
" With INDEX INTO
DATA(numbered) = VALUE itab_type(
FOR wa IN source INDEX INTO idx
( line_no = idx data = wa ) ).
ABAP Cloud Compatibility
" Use released APIs only
DATA(uuid) = cl_system_uuid=>create_uuid_x16_static( ).
DATA(date) = xco_cp=>sy->date( )->as( xco_cp_time=>format->iso_8601_extended )->value.
DATA(time) = xco_cp=>sy->time( )->as( xco_cp_time=>format->iso_8601_extended )->value.
" Output in cloud (if_oo_adt_classrun)
out->write( result ).
" Avoid: sy-datum, sy-uzeit, DESCRIBE TABLE, WRITE, MOVE...TO
Error Catalog
CX_SY_ITAB_LINE_NOT_FOUND
Cause: Table expression access to non-existent line
Solution: Use OPTIONAL, DEFAULT, or check with line_exists( )
CX_SY_ZERODIVIDE
Cause: Division by zero
Solution: Check divisor before operation
CX_SY_RANGE_OUT_OF_BOUNDS
Cause: Invalid substring access or array bounds
Solution: Validate offset and length before access
CX_SY_CONVERSION_NO_NUMBER
Cause: String cannot be converted to number
Solution: Validate input format before conversion
CX_SY_REF_IS_INITIAL
Cause: Dereferencing unbound reference
Solution: Check IS BOUND before dereferencing
Performance Tips
- Use SORTED/HASHED tables for frequent key access
- Prefer field symbols over work areas in loops for modification
- Use PACKAGE SIZE for large SELECT results
- Avoid SELECT in loops - use FOR ALL ENTRIES or JOINs
- Use secondary keys for different access patterns
- Minimize CORRESPONDING calls - explicit assignments are faster
Source Documentation
All content based on SAP official ABAP Cheat Sheets:
