{
  "schema_version": "1.0",
  "codex": "thecodex.expert/coding",
  "type": "concept",
  "slug": "concepts/data-types",
  "name": "Data Types",
  "section": "CS Concepts",
  "canonical_definition": "A data type is a classification that specifies what kind of value a variable can hold, what operations are valid on that value, and how the value is represented in memory \u2014 determining both the range of expressible values and the set of applicable operations.",
  "confidence": "high",
  "last_verified": "2026-06-01",
  "source_count": 4,
  "url": "https://thecodex.expert/coding/concepts/data-types/",
  "concept_relationship": {
    "requires_first": [
      "concepts/variables",
      "foundations/binary-and-number-systems"
    ],
    "enables": [
      "concepts/operators",
      "concepts/arrays",
      "how-languages-work/type-systems"
    ],
    "commonly_confused_with": [
      "float != exact decimal (IEEE 754); Python int != 32-bit; Java char != 1 byte (16-bit UTF-16)"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "num": 1,
      "citation": "IEEE Std 754-2019",
      "tier": 1
    },
    {
      "num": 2,
      "citation": "ISO C17 \u00a76.2.5",
      "tier": 1
    },
    {
      "num": 3,
      "citation": "Pierce TaPL 2002",
      "tier": 1
    },
    {
      "num": 4,
      "citation": "Python PEP 393",
      "tier": 1
    }
  ]
}