Member Avatar for hall120

Hi, I'm going to start an ABAP consultancy internship in a few weeks. Before that day, I am trying to learn something by myself. I installed SAP NetWeaver AS ABAP 7.52 in a virtual machine and started writing a little ABAP on this virtual machine with the SAP GUI on Windows.

My question is, do I need Windows to develop ABAP? Is "SAP GUI for Java" on a Linux distro enough for an ABAP consultant during my internship? Or do I still need Windows at some points that I might encounter?

Since I haven't had the opportunity to meet the people in the company yet, I wanted to ask here. Thank you in advance for your opinion.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by rproffitt
rahulsharmaedu commented: Looks great +0

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For : short answer — you can do most ABAP development without native Windows, but expect occasional Windows-only gaps depending on the shop.

Modern ABAP work is typically done in ABAP Development Tools (ADT) inside Eclipse, which runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. SAP GUI for Java also connects to ABAP systems and covers many transactions. However, some companies rely on Windows-specific features or integrations (automation/scripting, certain GUI controls or add-ins, Microsoft Office integrations, or bespoke Windows tooling). Those are the common reasons a Windows client shows up in real projects.

Quick checklist to confirm with the company (save time on day one):

  • Which IDE do they use: ADT (Eclipse) or classic SE80/GUI workflows?
  • Do they use SAP GUI scripting, test automation, or Windows-only add-ins?
  • Are transports, RFC tools, or debugging workflows tied to a Windows client?
  • Any internal tools or installers that are Windows-only (certificates, middleware, or RDP-only servers)?

Practical prep steps:

  • Install Eclipse + ADT on your Linux box and get comfortable with package activation, object activation, transports, and the debugger.
  • Install SAP GUI for Java and validate a connection to a practice system to confirm the features you need are present.
  • Keep a minimal Windows VM or access to a Windows machine ready for anything the company flags as required — it is often faster than trying to switch workflows mid-internship.
  • If you cannot reach the employer before starting, prioritize ADT skills first; they transfer everywhere.

As suggested, confirm tool expectations with the internship provider. That single check will tell you whether a Windows client is mandatory or just "nice to have."

Member Avatar for rproffitt

The company or person offering the internship is the one to ask this question.

While I admire folk that want to avoid Windows, it's something that you will encounter in today's world. May as well learn about it and more.

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