In SAP ABAP workbench, what are the main types of ABAP editors and what is a key difference between them?

Introduction / Context:
ABAP development in classic SAP GUI has historically offered more than one style of editor. Understanding the difference between the traditional line editor and the more modern full screen editor is a basic interview topic, especially when questions refer to older training material that mentions both editors. Even though many systems now default to a newer ABAP editor, the distinction still illustrates how the workbench evolved.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The context is the ABAP workbench in transactions such as SE38 and SE80.
• Older SAP releases offered a line editor and a full screen editor as two modes for editing ABAP source.
• The line editor relied on command codes and operated on single lines; the full screen editor showed the entire program in a scrolling window.
• The question asks for the main types of editors and a key difference.

Concept / Approach:
The line editor is a simple, older style editor where each ABAP statement appears as a single numbered line. Developers move between lines and use commands to copy, delete, or insert lines. The full screen or graphical editor is more modern and behaves like typical text editors, where multiple lines are visible and can be selected with the mouse. Over time, SAP introduced an even newer ABAP editor with syntax highlighting and advanced navigation, but the core difference remains that the line editor is command oriented and single line based, while the full screen editor is more visual and user friendly.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that older SAP training material describes choosing the editor mode in SE38 or in user settings. Step 2: The line editor uses short command fields where one can type codes like DD, CC, or MM to delete, copy, or move lines. Step 3: The full screen editor shows the ABAP source code across many lines, supports block selections, and has menus and function keys for editing operations. Step 4: Both editors ultimately edit the same ABAP source code stored in the repository; only the user interface differs. Step 5: Option a correctly identifies the two editor types and states a key difference in how they present lines and commands. Step 6: Options b, c, and d mention binary editing, spreadsheet storage, or no editor at all, none of which match how SAP ABAP development really works.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you access an older SAP system and change your settings to use the line editor, you will see numbered lines and command fields. Switching to the full screen editor shows a continuous scrollable program and hides these command fields. At no point does SAP require editing compiled bytes or storing source code in spreadsheets, which confirms that the description in option a is accurate.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b is wrong because SAP does not support editing compiled ABAP executables at byte level; development always uses source code. Option c is incorrect as ABAP code is stored as text in the repository, not in spreadsheet tables. Option d is wrong because SAP systems include a built in workbench for editing programs; uploading text files is not the primary development process.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to ignore user settings and wonder why the editor looks different on another system. Another mistake is to think that code behaves differently depending on the editor used; in reality, both editors change the same source. For exam purposes, remembering that SAP provides a line editor and a full screen or graphical editor, and that the main difference is single line versus multi line user interface, is usually sufficient.

Final Answer:
SAP provides a classic line editor and a full screen or graphical editor; the line editor works with one line and command codes, while the full screen editor shows multiple lines with menus and is more user friendly.