
We've all been there. That feeling of fear and dread sets in the moment you realize something is wrong—and you caused it. A thousand thoughts race through your mind: Why hadn't I been more careful? Why hadn't I double-checked my code before executing it? You're instantly filled with regret and self-loathing.

Even the most seasoned ABAP devs have, at one point or another, caused a problem or even brought down SAP systems. You're not alone.

## The nature of shared environments
SAP development typically happens on shared environments, where developers and functional resources are simultaneously making changes. This means that any error you make impacts everyone else using that environment. And it's tough to undo changes within SAP. Sometimes, it's even impossible. Fixing the issue usually requires a coordinated, company-wide effort, often involving Basis to manually resolve the problem. This could range from a simple rollback to a full system restore.

## The ripple effect in a shared environment
Reasons for bringing down the system can vary, but the culprit is often due to a few core shortcomings in SAP development: a lack of automated testing, the absence or difficulty of peer reviews, insufficient test data, and shared environments. In contrast, modern development outside of SAP relies on local development, allowing for risk-free testing with no impact on others.

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## Real-life stories from SAP devs

### It happened to Lars
It's not just "newbies" or "freshers" - even the best of us have faced those heart-stopping moments. Take renowned SAP developer **Lars Hvam Petersen**, creator of [abapGit](https://abapgit.org/). Lars had his heart pounding one fateful day when he was performing a seemingly simple database table conversion. What started as a mundane task turned into a disaster as he impulsively killed the session at the most inopportune time. Suddenly, he felt his stomach drop. The database table was now filled with inconsistencies, causing a cascade of short dumps across the system. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. He had to work closely with a DB admin, who was initially puzzled and slightly annoyed, to make some intricate changes just to sync the database and SAP app server. Lars was haunted by what could've been an irreversible catastrophe. Even today, the memory is etched into his mind like a permanent scar.

### It happens to all of us
My story isn't any less harrowing. I was implementing an SAP note, thinking it would be a walk in the park. But as I worked through the process, dependency after dependency started showing up in the fine print, the nightmare unfolded. Soon, the development environment started spitting out system short dumps left and right. My inbox filled with urgent messages and my phone wouldn't stop buzzing. The Basis team had to drop everything to restore stability, and the tension was palpable. I could feel my colleagues' frustrations growing, though they left them unsaid. That day, I kept replaying the sequence of events over and over in my head, haunted by my careless oversight. It was a lesson learned the hard way, and one that still makes me cringe when I think about it.

Thankfully, with modern tools like Nuve Platform, SAP professionals can work on isolated systems, eliminating the impact of their errors on others.

## The role of branching and isolated testing
SAP developers can work in [separate branches in isolated systems](/blog/modern-branching-strategy-for-sap). This reduces the risk of one person's error affecting everyone else. These isolated systems are good for testing both high-risk and regular tasks. Using [CI pipelines](/blog/quick-fix-with-ci-pipelines) in modern branching strategies allows for automated testing. This helps identify problems early and makes sure another person reviews your work, which can prevent issues from making their way into production.

For tasks that can't be done in a branch, like testing add-ons or implementing SAP notes, isolated systems still offer a significant benefit. You can perform a preliminary test to make sure everything works as expected. If a problem arises, you can easily delete or restore the system to try a different approach.

## Goodbye #ABAPfails, hello #ABAPwins
So go ahead, start using [isolated environments](/solutions/on-demand-sap) to code freely and wave goodbye to those haunting SAP scars!


The impact of developer errors in a shared environment

Explore the pitfalls of SAP development in shared environments and learn how modern tools can prevent costly errors.

SAP #ABAPfails

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