In SAP, what is the difference between SAP memory and ABAP memory in terms of scope and usage?

Introduction / Context:
ABAP programs often need to pass values between screens, transactions, and programs. SAP provides two main logical memory areas for this purpose: SAP memory and ABAP memory. Understanding their scope and how they are accessed is important for designing clean navigation and data sharing in classical SAP GUI applications. This question focuses on the difference in scope and access of SAP memory versus ABAP memory.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• SAP memory and ABAP memory are both logical memory areas available to ABAP programs.
• Users may open multiple SAP GUI sessions at the same time under the same logon.
• Different ABAP programs can run in the same internal session or in different internal sessions.
• Standard statements such as SET PARAMETER ID and GET PARAMETER, as well as EXPORT and IMPORT, are used to move values.

Concept / Approach:
SAP memory is a global user specific memory area that can be accessed from all SAP sessions of the same user within a given client. Values stored in SAP memory are usually set and retrieved with parameter IDs using SET PARAMETER ID and GET PARAMETER ID statements. ABAP memory, in contrast, is local to one internal session. It is shared among all programs that run within that session and is accessed by EXPORT and IMPORT statements using a shared memory ID. The key difference is that SAP memory spans sessions for one user, while ABAP memory is restricted to one internal session but can still be shared between programs in that session.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that SAP memory is visible across all sessions of a user, for example between different SAP GUI windows. Step 2: Remember that ABAP memory is used with EXPORT and IMPORT statements and is shared between programs started with SUBMIT or CALL TRANSACTION within the same internal session. Step 3: Check which option correctly describes global scope for SAP memory and local internal session scope for ABAP memory. Step 4: Option A matches this description exactly, while other options either invert the roles or introduce incorrect storage mechanisms.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by thinking about a simple navigation flow. If you set a parameter ID in one session and then open another SAP GUI session with the same user, a related transaction can read that value from SAP memory. By contrast, if you use EXPORT and IMPORT between two programs in the same call chain, the shared values disappear when the internal session ends, and they are not visible in other sessions. This behavior confirms the explanation in option A.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is wrong because it reverses the scopes for SAP memory and ABAP memory. Option C is incorrect because neither SAP memory nor ABAP memory is stored directly as database tables; they are runtime memory areas. Option D is wrong because SAP memory is typically accessed using SET and GET PARAMETER, while ABAP memory uses EXPORT and IMPORT. Option E is incorrect because both memories are generic mechanisms and are not limited to GUI status or debugging use cases.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent pitfall is to confuse the runtime memory scope with database persistence and assume SAP memory persists across logons, which it does not. Another mistake is to think that ABAP memory is visible across all sessions of a user. Keeping the distinction clear, global user scope for SAP memory and internal session scope for ABAP memory, helps ensure correct program design when passing values between transactions and reports.

Final Answer:
SAP memory is a global user specific memory area shared across all sessions, while ABAP memory is local to an internal session and shared only between programs in the same session