Abstract
Each programming language contains constructs and mechanisms for structuring data. These constructs and mechanisms are formed from what is called the type system of a language. Far from being an auxiliary aspect, types represent one of the salient characteristics of a programming language and which substantially differentiate one language from another. In this chapter, we will examine type systems, discussing primitive types and the mechanisms used to define new ones. Central to our presentation will be the concept of type safety. We will then tackle the questions of type equivalence and compatibility of types, that is mechanisms which will allow us to use a value of some type in a context requiring another type. We will discuss polymorphism and overloading. We will conclude the chapter with some questions about storage management (garbage collection), which is not, strictly speaking, a topic about data types but which well complements the examination of pointers which we must undertake.
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Gabbrielli, M., Martini, S. (2010). Structuring Data. In: Programming Languages: Principles and Paradigms. Undergraduate Topics in Computer Science. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-914-5_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-914-5_8
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