run — Execute ABAP Program or Class and Display Output

Execute an ABAP report or class directly from the CLI and capture its output. No SAP GUI required.

When to use

Probe and verify system state — Write a small class that reads a table, inspects a structure, or calls a function module and prints the result. Faster than SE16/SE37 for ad-hoc queries during development:

METHOD if_oo_adt_classrun~main.
  SELECT * FROM sflight INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_flights) UP TO 5 ROWS.
  out->write( data = lt_flights name = 'Flights' ).
ENDMETHOD.

Capture report output — Run an existing executable program and see its WRITE output as plain text, without opening SE38 or a SAP GUI session.

---

Scratch Workspace

By default, AI tools may create probe classes in the current project. To prevent this — for example in production-adjacent systems — set disableProbeClasses: true in .abapgit-agent.json. When set, probe classes are redirected to a dedicated scratch workspace configured in .abapGitAgent.

Enabling the restriction

In .abapgit-agent.json (checked into version control, applies to all developers):

{
  "safeguards": {
    "disableProbeClasses": true,
    "reason": "Production-adjacent system — no throwaway objects in this package."
  }
}

Configuring the scratch workspace

Add scratchWorkspace to your personal .abapGitAgent (not checked into version control):

{
  "scratchWorkspace": {
    "path": "/absolute/path/to/scratch-repo"
  }
}

The path points to a separate git repository initialized with abapgit-agent init and linked to its own scratch package (e.g. $MY_SCRATCH).

Optional prefixes — override the auto-derived defaults:

{
  "scratchWorkspace": {
    "path": "/Users/me/code/my-scratch",
    "classPrefix": "YCL_PROBE_",
    "programPrefix": "YPROBE_"
  }
}

When classPrefix / programPrefix are omitted, the tool derives them from your SAP user field:

user	classPrefix	programPrefix
JOHN	ZCL_JOHN_	ZJOHN_
JOHN	ZCL_JOHN_	ZJOHN_

User-derived prefixes ensure uniqueness when multiple team members share a scratch package.

Setting up a scratch repo

mkdir ~/my-scratch && cd ~/my-scratch
git init && git remote add origin <url>
abapgit-agent init --package '$MY_SCRATCH'

AI-generated naming

When an AI tool creates a probe class, it uses:

{classPrefix}<PURPOSE>   (max 30 chars total)

Examples (user JOHN):

• “check open transports” → ZCL_JOHN_OPEN_TRANSPORTS
• “list active users” → ZCL_JOHN_LIST_ACTIVE_USERS

If a name already exists in {path}/src/, _2, _3, … is appended.

---

Syntax

# Execute a PROG report
abapgit-agent run --program <NAME> [--json]

# Execute a class implementing IF_OO_ADT_CLASSRUN
abapgit-agent run --class <NAME> [--json]

Options

Flag	Required	Description
--program	Yes¹	ABAP program/report name (any executable PROG)
--class	Yes¹	ABAP class implementing IF_OO_ADT_CLASSRUN
--json	No	Machine-readable JSON output

¹ Exactly one of --program or --class is required.

---

Examples

# Run a report
abapgit-agent run --program ZMY_REPORT

# Run a class implementing IF_OO_ADT_CLASSRUN
abapgit-agent run --class ZCL_AI_RUN_DEMO

# Machine-readable output for scripting
abapgit-agent run --class ZCL_AI_RUN_DEMO --json

---

Human Output

--- Output ---
Hello from ZCL_AI_RUN_DEMO!
Date: 13.03.2026
Time: 10:24:55
6 * 7: 42
Fibonacci:
[ 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 ]
--------------
✅ Completed: ZCL_AI_RUN_DEMO

JSON Output (--json)

Class mode:

{
  "success": true,
  "class": "ZCL_AI_RUN_DEMO",
  "output": "Hello from ZCL_AI_RUN_DEMO!\nDate: 13.03.2026\n..."
}

Program mode:

{
  "success": true,
  "program": "ZMY_REPORT",
  "output": "Hello, World!\n6 * 7 = 42"
}

---

How It Works

Class mode (--class) — recommended

Calls the ADT classrun endpoint — designed by SAP specifically for headless execution:

POST /sap/bc/adt/oo/classrun/<CLASS>
Accept: text/plain

The class must implement IF_OO_ADT_CLASSRUN. The main( out ) method is called, and all out->write( data ) calls are returned as formatted text.

Key advantage: out->write() accepts any ABAP data object — scalars, structures, internal tables — and formats them automatically. No manual WRITE statements needed.

Minimal class template

CLASS zcl_my_runner DEFINITION PUBLIC FINAL CREATE PUBLIC.
  PUBLIC SECTION.
    INTERFACES if_oo_adt_classrun.
ENDCLASS.

CLASS zcl_my_runner IMPLEMENTATION.
  METHOD if_oo_adt_classrun~main.
    " Write a string
    out->write( 'Hello!' ).

    " Write structured data — formatted automatically
    SELECT carrid, carrname FROM scarr INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_carriers).
    out->write( data = lt_carriers name = 'Airlines' ).
  ENDMETHOD.
ENDCLASS.

Program mode (--program)

Calls the ADT programrun endpoint:

POST /sap/bc/adt/programs/programrun/<PROGRAM>
Content-Type: application/vnd.sap.adt.programs.programRun+xml
Accept: text/plain

SAP’s ADT handler (CL_SEDI_ADT_PROGRAMRUN) executes SUBMIT <program> EXPORTING LIST TO MEMORY AND RETURN with no WITH additions. Runtime parameter passing is not supported by this endpoint — the program always runs with its coded defaults. Use --class mode when runtime input is needed.

---

Workflow: Write, Run, Iterate

# 1. Create a class implementing IF_OO_ADT_CLASSRUN
vim abap/zcl_my_runner.clas.abap

# 2. Push to git and activate
git add . && git commit -m "Add runner class" && git push
abapgit-agent pull --files abap/zcl_my_runner.clas.abap

# 3. Run and see output immediately
abapgit-agent run --class ZCL_MY_RUNNER

# 4. Iterate

---

---

Project Safeguards

AI usage policy

AI coding assistants must never call run proactively. Only run when the user explicitly asks.

A class implementing IF_OO_ADT_CLASSRUN can do anything — modify database records, send emails, trigger RFCs. The interface signature gives no indication of side effects. Running it automatically (e.g. “to verify it works”) is unsafe.

✅ User: "Run ZCL_MY_CLASS"  →  run it
❌ AI:   Activates class, then auto-runs it "to verify output"  →  never do this

This rule is enforced by abap/CLAUDE.md (Rule 9) and can also be hard-blocked via config (see below).

Config-based block (disableRun)

Project maintainers can disable the run command in .abapgit-agent.json (checked into the repository):

{
  "safeguards": {
    "disableRun": true,
    "reason": "Side effects in production — manual approval required"
  }
}

When disableRun: true:

• All run commands are blocked with a clear error
• The optional reason is shown to explain why

This is useful for shared or production-adjacent systems where executing ABAP code without review is unsafe.

---

Troubleshooting

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
HTTP 404	Object not found	Check name is correct (use view command)
HTTP 403	Authorization missing	User needs S_PROGRAM / S_ADT_RES auth
(no output)	Class not implementing IF_OO_ADT_CLASSRUN	Add INTERFACES if_oo_adt_classrun.
HTTP 500	Runtime error	Check short dumps: abapgit-agent dump --date TODAY

---

Related Commands

Command	Purpose
pull	Activate ABAP objects from git
view	View ABAP object source
dump	Investigate runtime errors (ST22)
debug	Step through ABAP code interactively