theory, programming (Or "data type") A set of values from
which a variable, constant, function, or other expression may
take its value. A type is a classification of data that tells
use it. For example, the process and result of adding two
variables differs greatly according to whether they are
integers, floating point numbers, or strings.
Types supported by most programming languages include
integers (usually limited to some range so they will fit in
and characters.
Strings are also common, and are
represented as
lists of characters in some languages.
If s and t are types, then so is s -@# t, the type of
functions from s to t; that is, give them a term of type s,
functions of type s -@# t will return a term of type t.
Some types are
primitive - built-in to the language, with no
visible internal structure - e.g. Boolean; others are
composite - constructed from one or more other types (of
(2002-02-22)