Introduction:
SAP ABAP is considered as one of the promising career choices for students and graduates getting into an SAP environment. However, the main cause of many of these freshers’ struggles is not because ABAP is too complicated but because they are typically making mistakes that could otherwise been avoided when initially learning and then during their subsequent job search. Recruiters, in 2026, will expect SAP ABAP freshers to have the ability to demonstrate more than just an understanding of syntax. They expect ABAP freshers to demonstrate an ability to think in a structured way, debug programs, and an awareness of the practices used in real-time development.
Recognizing these errors and understanding them sooner will help freshers save several months of frustration and significantly increase their confidence, resume’s quality, and performance in interviews. This blog will look at some of the most frequent errors made by SAP ABAP freshers and provide great tips to help avoid them through applying the correct methodology.
- Focusing Only on Syntax Instead of Logic
One of the most common mistakes made by SAP ABAP Freshers is by concentrating on syntax as opposed to the logic of the program. Although syntax is essential to correct ABAP program development, the majority of ABAP development is performed by understanding the movement of information within the SAP environment and by being able to translate the requirements of the business into an appropriate technical solution within ABAP.
For example, many Freshers can write a basic selection but have considerable trouble developing a complete business program development.
A way to help avoid this problem is to concentrate on:
- Understanding program flow
- Writing the logic out in steps
- Working with real-time business scenarios
During your program development, you will be able to determine if your code is necessary by asking yourself not “What Is The Syntax”, but rather why is this code being developed?
- Ignoring Data Dictionary (DDIC) Concepts
Many beginners move right to their reports and aren’t completely aware of the Data Dictionary. The data dictionary supports SAP ABAP development via tables, data elements, domains, structures and views. New users often feel confused when working with data, validations and field properties due to lack of understanding regarding the Data Dictionary.
New users should invest time in learning:
- Transparent tables vs. internal tables
- Primary & Foreign keys
- Data elements and domains
- Table relationships
A good foundational understanding of the Data Dictionary will help make your coding much easier, cleaner, and more productive.
- Writing Inefficient Database Queries
Another common error is creating inefficient SELECT statements such as using the SELECT * command or placing the SELECT query within loops without understanding how these actions will impact the performance. In a real-life project environment, neither of these practices will be tolerated, and could lead to major issues within the system.
To prevent these types of mistakes, do the following:
- Always select only the fields you need
- Never use SELECT statements inside LOOP statements
- Understand joins and how they affect performance
- Learn about the benefits of using Indexes
Recruiters place a great deal of value on knowing how to write efficient, performance-driven code; especially when hiring new candidates. You can acquire hands-on real world skills in SAP ABAP by joining Version IT SAP ABAP Training in Hyderabad program.
- Not Practicing Debugging Properly
Many SAP ABAP freshers dread the thought of debugging or try to avoid it completely. They opt for trial and error coding in place of running the program step-by-step to know what is happening. This type of attempt at debugging causes a delay in learning and defecting and reduces their confidence.
Debugging will allow the user to:
- Understand the handling of the program
- Determine logical programming defects
- Gain a deeper understanding of standard SAP
- Skipping Object-Oriented ABAP (OO ABAP)
Many newcomers to programming are initially learning Classical ABAP. In 2026 this will be a huge error. The bulk of SAP programming developed today will be either developed or positioned to be developed using Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). OO ABAP uses classes, methods, inheritance, and interfaces. And therefore most SAP development in S/HANA will utilize OO ABAP concepts.
A few of the areas that you, as a construction ABC programmer, should be developing an OOP knowledge base are listed here:
- Classes and Objects
- Encapsulation and Inheritance
- Methods and Constructors
- Exception Handling
Having a basic knowledge of OOP ABAP will dramatically improve your performance in an interview. You can master the skills that let you crack the SAP interview rounds by joining the SAP ABAP online Training program.
- Not Understanding Real-Time SAP Scenarios
If you are learning ABAP solely with individual programs and are not learning with business knowledge, you will have difficulty growing or being successful as an ABAP programmer. A large percentage of new programmers can write ABAP reports, but have no idea how or why their report is used in the business environment. One of the ways, the majority of recruiters, test this is by determining whether you are familiar with the functional flow.
To increase your chances of avoiding this pitfall:
- Understanding ABAP in functional flow manner.
- Understanding how ABAP supports SAP modules such as SD, MM, or FI.
- Practicing scenario based programs.
By understanding the relationship between code and business process you will learn in a more meaningful way.
- Relying Only on Theory Without Hands-On Practice
Another mistake made by many applicants is to learn SAP ABAP only by watching videos or reading the notes, and they don’t write their code consistently. ABAP is a hands-on skill; you will gain confidence through hands-on practice. New graduates who do not write code consistently will have difficulty during a technical interview and when taking a coding assessment test.
The key to building speed and accuracy is:
- Write your programs every day;
- Update or modify your existing programs.
- Experiment with different logic methods.
Conclusion
Mistakes will be made during the time you are learning SAP ABAP; this is especially true for recent graduates and students. The most important thing to consider is to identify mistakes and correct them as quickly as possible by utilizing the right method of learning. If you learn SAP ABAP, by remaining consistent in your fundamentals and by practicing continuously and by understanding how to relate to the relevant time-frame, you will be developing a strong foundation for a long-term successful career in SAP ABAP.
