gCTS workflow

Goal

Use SAP's git-enabled CTS (gCTS) for version control instead of transports (or on top of them). Unlike abapGit roundtrip, gCTS runs on the SAP server: the system itself is a git client, repos live inside SAP, and adt gcts just drives the /sap/bc/cts_abapvcs/* endpoints.

Prerequisites

adt-cli installed and authenticated
gCTS enabled on the SAP system (check with adt fetch /sap/bc/cts_abapvcs/)
A remote git host (GitHub / GitLab / BitBucket Server) reachable by the SAP system — not from your laptop
VCS token for the remote (personal access token, deploy key, ...)

Steps

1. Create a gCTS repository on SAP

adt gcts repo create zdemo https://github.com/acme/zdemo.git \
  --role SOURCE --type GITHUB \
  --starting-folder src/ \
  --vcs-token "$GITHUB_PAT" \
  --json

zdemo is the gCTS repository ID — use it in every subsequent command.

2. Clone into the SAP server

adt gcts repo clone zdemo

This pulls the git repo's content into the system. Objects land in the package configured for zdemo (default: a package named after the rid).

3. Pull the latest

adt gcts repo pull zdemo

4. Commit your local SAP changes

gCTS commits scope by ABAP package or transport:

# Commit an entire package
adt gcts commit zdemo -d \$ZDEMO -m "Add customer view"

# Commit a transport
adt gcts commit zdemo --corrnr DEVK900001 -m "Release TR"

The commit is automatically pushed to the remote.

5. Branching

adt gcts branch list   zdemo --all
adt gcts branch create zdemo feature/customer
adt gcts branch switch zdemo feature/customer

6. History

adt gcts log     zdemo
adt gcts objects zdemo          # list repository objects

7. Cleanup

adt gcts repo delete zdemo

gCTS vs abapGit vs transports

Aspect	gCTS	abapGit	Transports (STMS)
Runs where	SAP server	Your laptop (disk ↔ SAP)	SAP server
Target	Remote git repo	Local filesystem + any git	SAP target systems
Format	AFF (JSON-heavy, new)	abapGit classic (XML)	Binary TR files
Commit scope	Package or transport	Any edit	Transport
Cross-landscape	Yes (git pull on target)	Yes (checkin on target)	Yes (STMS import)
CLI command group	`adt gcts`	`adt checkout` / `checkin`	`adt cts`

Rule of thumb: gCTS is for SAP-server-driven git; abapGit is for developer-machine-driven git; transports remain the native change vehicle. See Format comparison for file-level differences.

Troubleshooting

Error	Cause	Fix
`SSL handshake failed` on clone	SAP can't reach github.com — firewall or missing CA	Basis adds the CA to STRUST (SSL client SSL client (Anonymous))
`403 Forbidden` on push	VCS token lacks `repo` scope	Regenerate PAT with write access, `adt gcts config zdemo set VCS_TOKEN $NEW`
`Commit failed: nothing to commit`	No modified objects in package / transport	Confirm changes: `adt ls \$ZDEMO --modified`, or commit by transport instead
`Repository not found`	rid is case-sensitive and lower-case by convention	Use exact rid from `adt gcts repo list`

Goal​

Prerequisites​

Steps​

1. Create a gCTS repository on SAP​

2. Clone into the SAP server​

3. Pull the latest​

4. Commit your local SAP changes​

5. Branching​

6. History​

7. Cleanup​

gCTS vs abapGit vs transports​

Troubleshooting​

See also​