ABAP Keyword Documentation → ABAP Glossary
alignment
Some data types are subject to specific alignments dictated by the platform in question. Fields in the memory that have one of these types must start at an address that is divisible by 2, 4, 8, or 16. In a structure or substructure, the component with the highest alignment requirement determines the alignment of the entire structure. Alignment gaps may occur before or after components with alignment requirements.