Data types

As the development of computer technologyThe idea of ​​data organization and their role changed constantly. The computer has the ability to store large amounts of information and manage it. Since the individual data properties are ignored when they are used because of their uselessness, the data itself seems to us to be some kind of abstract piece of reality. For example, we have a list of students' progress at some school, in the list we choose some student, about him will write his class, as well as evaluation, almost certainly there will not be indicated his habits, or the color of his eyes. This also happens with the data on the computer. In any situation, you need to choose a lot of data that have real benefits to us. Then you need to choose a way to present this data, and this will depend on the capabilities of your software and computer.

Nowadays, there are different types of data. Given the continuous progress in computer technology, now you can use both conventional unstructured data, and the most complex types obtained by combining the simplest data.

Let's consider in more detail data types. In mathematics, it is customary to classify different values ​​by type, the same thing happens in programming. Each function, variable, constant or expression is of a particular type. What are simple data types? First, these are integers over which ordinary operations such as addition, division, etc. can be performed. Unlike integers in arithmetic, integers in computer science have their own range. Secondly, these are real numbers over which the same operations can be performed, but their accuracy will not exceed a single fixed value. Thirdly, these are symbolic data, which are ordered and have their own numerical code. Fourthly, these are the string values, for which only the addition operation is feasible. Fifthly, these are logical data types that take the value "true" and "false", true and false, respectively. Finally, these are custom types, which, for example, can include letters and numbers in a specific user range.

The above types of data, called simple,can be easily recognized, since they fulfill the condition: 1 name - 1 value. Now we'll figure out what structured data types are. They are determined by the developer of the program. It is clear that the actions are limited by the capabilities of one or another programming language, and in different languages ​​the structuring possibilities do not coincide, but many of the structures are standardly implemented in almost all programming languages. Such types of data are classified according to individual characteristics: ordered - disordered, homogeneous - heterogeneous, static - dynamic, direct access - sequential access. These signs are opposite only within the pair, and outside it can be combined. This includes records, files, sets, arrays, stacks, as well as hierarchical organization of data. In some cases, the programmer can specify dynamic data structures, and the memory for their storage is allocated directly during the program operation.

Nowadays it is widely spreadObject-oriented programming, which completely eliminated the conflict between data and the program. As we have already seen, there are different types of data, the use of which depends only on the current situation and the desires of the person himself. With data, you can perform various operations, they have their own units of representation and units of measure. But the main thing is that without them we would not be sitting at the computer now, and the technologies would just stand still.