ABAP runtime environment

All ABAP programs reside inside the SAP database. They are not stored in separate
external files like Java or C++ programs. In the database all ABAP code exists in
two forms: source code, which can be viewed and edited with the ABAP Workbench
tools; and generated code, a binary representation somewhat comparable with Java
bytecode. ABAP programs execute under the control of the runtime system, which is
part of the SAP kernel. The runtime system is responsible for processing ABAP
statements, controlling the flow logic of screens and responding to events (such as
a user clicking on a screen button); in this respect it can be seen as a Virtual
Machine comparable with the Java VM. A key component of the ABAP runtime system is
the Database Interface, which turns database-independent ABAP statements ("Open
SQL") into statements understood by the underlying DBMS ("Native SQL"). The
database interface handles all the communication with the relational database on
behalf of ABAP programs; It also contains extra features such as buffering of
tables and frequently accessed data in the local memory of the application server.

SAP systems and landscapes

All SAP data exists and all SAP software runs in the context of a SAP system. A
system consists of a central relational database and one or more application
("instances") accessing the data and programs in this database. A SAP system
contains at least one instance but may contain more, mostly for reasons of sizing
and performance. In a system with multiple instances, load balancing mechanisms
ensure that the load is spread evenly over the available application servers.

Installations of the Web Application Server (landscapes) typically consist of three

systems: one for development; one for testing and quality assurance; and one for
production. The landscape may contain more systems (e.g., separate systems for unit
testing and pre-production testing) or it may contain fewer (e.g., only development
and production, without separate QA); nevertheless three is the most common
configuration. ABAP programs are created and undergo first testing in the
development system. Afterwards they are distributed to the other systems in the
landscape. These actions take place under control of the Change and Transport
System (CTS), which is responsible for concurrency control (e.g., preventing two
developers from changing the same code at the same time), version management, and
deployment of programs on the QA and production systems.

The Web Application Server consists of three layers: the database layer; the
application layer; and the presentation layer. These layers may run on the same or
on different physical machines. The database layer contains the relational database
and the database software. The application layer knowledge contains the instance or
instances of the system. All application processes, including the business
transactions and the ABAP development, run on the application layer. The
presentation layer handles the interaction with users of the system. Online access
to ABAP application servers can go via a proprietary graphical interface, which is
called "SAP GUI", or via a Web browser.

Software layers
ABAP software is deployed in software components. Examples for these are:

SAP_BASIS is the required technical base layer which is required in every ABAP
system.
SAP_ABA contains functionalities which is required for all kinds of business
applications, like business partner and address management.
SAP_UI provides the functionality to create SAP UI5 applications.
BBPCRM is an example for a business application, in this case the CRM application
SAP ABAP is an ERP programming language.
Transactions
A transaction in SAP terminology is the execution of a program. The normal way of
executing ABAP code in the SAP system is by entering a transaction code (for
instance, VA01 is the transaction code for "Create Sales Order"). Transactions can
be called via system-defined or user-specific, role-based menus. They can also be
started by entering the transaction code directly into a command field, which is
present in every SAP screen. Transactions can also be invoked programmatically by
means of the ABAP statements CALL TRANSACTION and LEAVE TO TRANSACTION. The general
notion of a transaction is called a Logical Unit of Work (LUW) in SAP terminology;
[citation needed] the short form of transaction code is T-code.