Data type

In computer science and computer programming, a data type (or simply type) is a classification identifying one of various types of data.

Description

Data type determines:

• The possible values for that type
• The operations that can be done on values of that type
• The meaning of the data
• The way values of that type can be stored

Type systems

Data types are used within type systems, which offer various ways of defining, implementing and using data types.

Type safety

Different type systems ensure varying degrees of type safety.

Programming language support

Almost all programming languages explicitly include the notion of data type, though different languages may use different terminology.

Common data types

Common data types include:

• Integers
• Floating-point numbers
• Booleans
• Characters
• Alphanumeric strings
• Arrays

See also

• Array data structure
• Array data type
• C data types
• Computer science
• Computing
• Data (computing)
• Data dictionary
• Data structure
• Functional programming
• Kind (type theory)
• Programming language
• String (computer science)
• Type safety
• Type system - a collection of rules that assign a property called type to various constructs a computer program consists of, such as variables, expressions, functions, or modules.
• Type theory for the mathematical models of types
• Type system for different choices in programming language typing

External links

• Data type @ Wikipedia
• An Introduction To Programming Type Systems @ smashingmagazine.com