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ABAP Keyword Documentation →  ABAP - Reference →  Processing Internal Data →  Internal Tables 

Internal Tables - Overview

Internal tables provide a means of taking variable data from a fixed structure and storing it in working memory in ABAP. An internal table is a data object that contain any rows with any data type whose total is not defined statically. The data type of an internal table is a table type. As well as the row type, the table type also defines the table category and the table key.

Internal tables offer dynamic arrays and removes the task of programm-driven dynamic memory management from the programmer (see Memory Consumption of Deep Data Objects). A particularly important use for internal tables is for storing and formatting data from a database table within a program. In conjunction with structures, they are also the best way of defining very complicated data structures in an ABAP program.

Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54


Notes

For information about the maximum size of an internal table, see Maximum Size of Dynamic Data Objects.

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Data Type of an Internal Table

Selection of Table Type

Table Keys

Access to Internal Tables

Row-Based Administration Costs of Internal Tables

Internal Tables: Performance Notes