Prefer exceptions to return codes

METHOD try_this_and_that.
  RAISE EXCEPTION NEW cx_failed( ).
ENDMETHOD.

instead of

" anti-pattern
METHOD try_this_and_that.
  error_occurred = abap_true.
ENDMETHOD.

Exceptions have multiple advantages over return codes:

• Exceptions keep your method signatures clean: you can return the result of the method as a RETURNING parameter and still throw exceptions alongside. Return codes pollute your signatures with additional parameters for error handling.

• The caller doesn’t have to react to them immediately. He can simply write down the happy path of his code. The exception-handling CATCH can be at the very end of his method, or completely outside.

• Exceptions can provide details on the error in their attributes and through methods. Return codes require you to devise a different solution on your own, such as also returning a log.

• The environment reminds the caller with syntax errors to handle exceptions. Return codes can be accidentally ignored without anybody noticing.