abap

ABAP

Check and improve ABAP code quality using two complementary approaches:

• abaplint: Automated static analysis via CLI, checking syntax, types, and configurable rules
• Clean ABAP: Manual review against Clean ABAP style guide principles

Workflow

1. Determine check type based on user request:

   • If the user asks to lint, run abaplint, or check syntax: use abaplint
   • If the user asks for clean code review, best practices, or code quality: use Clean ABAP review
   • If unclear or the user asks for a full check: use both

2. For abaplint checks:

   • Verify abaplint is installed (npx @abaplint/cli --version or abaplint --version)
   • If not installed, install with: npm install @abaplint/cli -g
   • Check if abaplint.json exists in the project root
   • If no config exists, help the user create one (see starter configs in references/abaplint.md)
   • Run abaplint in the project root directory
   • Parse and present findings to the user

3. For Clean ABAP reviews:

   • Read the ABAP code provided by the user
   • Check against Clean ABAP categories: Names, Language, Constants, Variables, Tables, Strings, Booleans, Conditions, Ifs, Classes, Methods, Error Handling, Comments, Formatting, Testing
   • Identify violations with specific line references
   • Provide actionable recommendations with code examples
   • Prioritize issues by impact (critical, major, minor)

abaplint Quick Start

Run in project root:

abaplint

Generate default config (all rules):

abaplint -d > abaplint.json

For detailed abaplint configuration including starter configs for On-Premise, Steampunk/BTP, and HANA compatibility, read references/abaplint.md.

Clean ABAP Check Categories

Names

• Use descriptive names, snakecase, no Hungarian notation (iv, lv*, lt*)
• Nouns for classes, verbs for methods, no noise words

Language

• Prefer OO over procedural, functional over imperative
• Use modern syntax: NEW, inline declarations, table expressions

Constants

• No magic numbers, use ENUM or grouped constants

Variables

• Prefer inline declarations, no chained DATA

Tables

• No DEFAULT KEY, use INSERT INTO TABLE, LINE_EXISTS, WHERE clauses

Strings

• Backticks for literals, pipes for string templates

Booleans

• Use ABAP_BOOL, ABAP_TRUE/ABAP_FALSE, XSDBOOL

Conditions

• Positive conditions, IS NOT over NOT IS, predicative method calls

Ifs

• No empty IF branches, CASE over ELSE IF, nesting depth <= 3

Methods

• Instance over static, RETURNING over EXPORTING, <= 3 parameters, <= 20 lines

Error Handling

• Exceptions over return codes, class-based exceptions, no catching CX_ROOT

Comments

• Explain why not what, " over *, no commented-out code

Formatting

• One statement per line, <= 120 chars, consistent indentation

Testing

• Given-when-then structure, focused assertions, dependency injection

Output Format

Structure analysis results as:

# ABAP Check Results

## abaplint Findings
[abaplint output, grouped by severity]

## Clean ABAP Review

### Summary
- Total Issues: [count]
- Critical: [count] | Major: [count] | Minor: [count]

### Critical Issues
#### [Category] - [Issue Title]
**Location:** Line [X] / Method [name]
**Problem:** [description]
**Recommendation:** [how to fix]

### Major Issues
[Same format]

### Minor Issues
[Same format]

### Positive Observations
- [Things done well]

Clean Core Level Context

Code quality findings can be mapped to SAP's clean core levels when the code is destined for or evaluated against ABAP Cloud:

• Level A — released APIs only; Clean ABAP + abaplint clean
• Level B — classic APIs; stable but requires classic ABAP language version
• Level C — internal SAP objects; migrate to a successor
• Level D — direct SAP table writes, EXEC SQL, released-for-internal-use APIs; eliminate

Treat clean core findings separately from style findings: a well-formatted SELECT on an SAP table is still Level C. See the abap-cloud skill for level definitions and atc-cloudification for automated checks.

References

• abaplint config & setup: Read references/abaplint.md for installation, configuration options, and starter configs
• Complete Clean ABAP guide: Read references/CleanABAP.md for full style guide with rationale and examples
• Quick patterns: Read references/quick-reference.md for condensed good/bad code examples
• Review checklist: Read references/checklist.md for systematic review checklist

Related Skills

• abap-cloud: Use for clean core levels and ABAP Cloud compliance
• abap-unit-testing: Use for writing unit tests that follow Clean ABAP principles
• abap-sql-amdp: Use for modernizing ABAP SQL during code quality improvements