ABAP Keyword Documentation → ABAP Glossary
initial value
The runtime environment defines an initial value for each
data type. The initial values of the
elementary data types depend on the corresponding
built-in ABAP type. The initial value of
reference types is the
null reference. The initial value of an
internal table is an empty table without rows. The initial value of
structured types is produced from the initial values of the individual
components. The statement CLEAR with no additions sets a
data object to its type-dependent initial value. Initial values are also assigned to most
built-in data types in ABAP Dictionary.