C# Data Types (How it Works For Developers)

When working with programming languages like C#, understanding data types is crucial. Just like in the real world, where we have various containers to store different types of items, in programming, we use data types to specify what type of data we're storing. In simpler words, a data type specifies the type of actual data stored in a memory location.

What are Data Types?

In C#, data types can be understood as categorizations for the data we store in our programs. These categorizations help in ensuring that the correct kind of data is stored in the right way. Think of it as choosing the correct jar for storing cookies or spices; the jar is tailored to keep its content safe and accessible.

There are mainly two broad categories of data types:

1. Value Data Types: They store the actual data. Value types get stored in the stack region of memory, and their default value is set according to the type. Examples of a value type would be an int type which stores a whole number as a value.
2. Reference Data Types: They do not contain the actual data stored in a variable, but instead contain a reference to the data's memory location. The actual reference types reside in the heap region of memory and have a default value of null.

Why are Data Types Important?

Understanding data types is like understanding the building blocks of C#. Just like in the C language, data types in C# ensure that:

• The right amount of memory is allocated.
• The actual data gets stored efficiently.
• The data is safely retrieved without any loss or misinterpretation.

Predefined Data Types

Predefined data types, also known as built-in data types, are the essential components that enable us to perform various actions and store various forms of data within our programs. They are fundamental to C#, as they provide the means to create variables that can store values.

Numeric Types

Integer Types

These value types are used to store whole numbers, both positive and negative. They are further divided into:

• Int Data Type (int type): Represents 32-bit signed integers.
• Short Data Type: Represents 16-bit signed integers.
• Long Data Type: Represents 64-bit signed integers.
• Byte Data Type: Represents 8-bit unsigned integers.
• Sbyte Data Type: Represents 8-bit signed integers, allowing negative numbers.

int number = 100;
short smallNumber = 200;
long largeNumber = 300L;
byte positiveNumber = 255;
sbyte negativeNumber = -100;

int number = 100;
short smallNumber = 200;
long largeNumber = 300L;
byte positiveNumber = 255;
sbyte negativeNumber = -100;

Dim number As Integer = 100
Dim smallNumber As Short = 200
Dim largeNumber As Long = 300L
Dim positiveNumber As Byte = 255
Dim negativeNumber As SByte = -100

Floating Point Types

These value types include numbers with decimal points or floating-point numbers.

• Float Type: Represents single-precision floating-point type. Useful for values that don't require full double precision.
• Double Type: Represents double-precision floating-point type. It allows more precision than float.

float floatValue = 10.5f;
double doubleValue = 20.55;

float floatValue = 10.5f;
double doubleValue = 20.55;

Dim floatValue As Single = 10.5F
Dim doubleValue As Double = 20.55

Decimal Type

Specially designed for financial and monetary calculations, the decimal type offers 28-digit precision, making it highly suitable for calculations requiring a high degree of accuracy.

decimal money = 100.50m;

decimal money = 100.50m;

Dim money As Decimal = 100.50D

Textual Types

Char Data Type (char type)

Used to store a single character, such as a letter, a digit, or a special character.

char letter = 'A';

char letter = 'A';

Dim letter As Char = "A"c

String Data Type (string type)

The string data type in C# represents a sequence of characters. It's based on the String and is incredibly versatile.

string name = "John";

string name = "John";

Dim name As String = "John"

Other Predefined Types

Bool Data Type

Represents a Boolean value, either true or false.

bool isTrue = true;

bool isTrue = true;

Dim isTrue As Boolean = True

Object Type

The ultimate base class for all other types. It can refer to an object of any other type.

object obj = "This is a string";

object obj = "This is a string";

Dim obj As Object = "This is a string"

Dynamic Type

A type that bypasses compile-time type checking. It is determined at runtime, allowing for more flexibility but less safety.

dynamic anything = 10;

dynamic anything = 10;

'INSTANT VB NOTE: 'Option Strict Off' is used here since dynamic typing is used:
Option Strict Off

'INSTANT VB NOTE: In the following line, Instant VB substituted 'Object' for 'dynamic' - this will work in VB with Option Strict Off:
Dim anything As Object = 10

Predefined Reference Types

Aside from the above-mentioned value types, there are predefined reference types, including:

• Class Types: Defines the blueprint of an object.
• Interface Types: Defines a contract that classes can implement.
• Array Types: Enables the creation of an array, a collection of items of the same type.

Built-in Conversions

C# also provides built-in conversions between different predefined data types. For example, you can convert an int to a float without losing information.

Default Values

Each value data type has a default value that gets assigned if no value is given. For example, the default value of a bool data type is false, while for reference types, it's null.

User Defined Data Types in C#

Beyond the predefined types, C# offers the flexibility to define our data types, known as user-defined types. These user-defined types are created and defined by the programmer to create structures to suit their specific needs. These include

Struct Types

Useful for small data structures. It allows you to group different data types under a single variable name. It can be defined in C# as follows

public struct Point {
    public int X;
    public int Y;
}

public struct Point {
    public int X;
    public int Y;
}

Public Structure Point
	Public X As Integer
	Public Y As Integer
End Structure

Enum Types

An enumeration is a set of named constants representing underlying integral values.

enum Days { Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat };

enum Days { Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat };

Friend Enum Days
	Sun
	Mon
	Tue
	Wed
	Thu
	Fri
	Sat
End Enum

User Defined Reference Types

Class Types, Interface Types, Array Types, and Delegate Types: These are reference types and more advanced but equally essential.

• Class types: allow you to encapsulate data and methods within a single unit.
• Interface Types: they define which set of methods that a class type must implement. It's like a guideline to how a class type should be built.
• Array Types: a data structure that stores a fixed sized collection of elements of the same data type.
• Delegate types: a type that represents a reference to a method.

Pointer Data Type

While C# is a high-level language and generally abstracts memory management, it does offer pointer data types for specific tasks that need direct memory address manipulation. However, you'd need to use unsafe code blocks to use the pointer data type.

unsafe
{
    int var = 10;
    int* p = &var;  // Address operator to get memory address
}

unsafe
{
    int var = 10;
    int* p = &var;  // Address operator to get memory address
}

'INSTANT VB TODO TASK: C# 'unsafe' code is not converted by Instant VB:
'unsafe
'{
'	int var = 10;
'	int* p = &var; ' Address operator to get memory address
'}

Tabular Overview

For a concise overview, the following table lists some primary value and reference data types and usage examples:

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