Datatypes

/ˈdeɪ.tə.taɪps/ noun

Definition

Categories or classifications of data that define what kind of information can be stored, such as numbers, text, or dates, used in programming and databases.

Etymology

Compound of 'data' and 'types' (from Greek 'typos' meaning impression or model). Became fundamental terminology in programming languages from the 1960s onward.

Kelly Says

Programming languages define datatypes so computers know whether to treat something as a number (123) or text ('123')—this simple distinction prevents calculations from turning into chaos.

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