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ADT and SE80 — the two workbenches

Level: 101 · newcomer

Status: stub — the map is here; a walkthrough is not yet.

One line: ABAP has two development environments — the classic SAP GUI workbench (SE80 and the SE-family transactions) and ABAP Development Tools in Eclipse (ADT) — and while both edit the same repository, new object types (CDS, RAP, ABAP Cloud) exist only in ADT, so the question is not which to learn but how soon to stop relying on the first.

The map

Task SAP GUI ADT
edit a program / class SE38, SE24, SE80 the editor; Ctrl+Shift+A to open any object
Dictionary SE11 DDIC objects, and CDS only here
function modules SE37 supported, editing in the same editor
debugging classic/new debugger, /h the Eclipse debugger; same engine
unit tests SE38 → Unit test Ctrl+Shift+F10; coverage with Ctrl+Shift+F11
ATC SE80 → Check → ATC Ctrl+Shift+F2
transports SE09/SE10 Transport Organizer view
RAP, behaviour definitions, service bindings — only here
screens (dynpros), GUI status SE51, SE41 opens SAP GUI inside Eclipse
where-used Ctrl+Shift+F3 / button Ctrl+Shift+G
pretty printer Shift+F1 Shift+F1, with formatting settings

ADT talks to the system over HTTP (the ADT ICF services, SICF → /sap/bc/adt), which is the first thing to activate when it cannot connect.

Why it earns a page

Because a developer who knows only SE80 cannot touch a CDS view, and one who knows only ADT will eventually need SE51 for a dynpro or SM30 for a table — and because the ADT shortcuts (Ctrl+1 quick fix, Ctrl+Space completion, F3 navigate, Alt+U unit tests) are where the productivity difference actually lives.

What this page still needs

  • [ ] the ADT installation and connection steps, once, with the SICF activation
  • [ ] a shortcut table worth printing
  • [ ] the "which system, which client" pitfalls of a project explorer with several systems

See also