16BitIntegers

A 16-bit integer is an integer data type that uses 16 binary digits (bits) for its value. In most modern computing environments, 16-bit integers are interpreted according to two's complement representation, which defines both the range of signed values and the method of arithmetic. The unsigned form uses the same 16 bits without a sign, giving a larger non-negative range: 0 to 65,535. The signed range is −32,768 to 32,767.

In memory, a 16-bit integer occupies two bytes. The order in which those bytes are stored depends on the system's endianness, although the logical value is independent of byte order. On processors and languages that specify fixed-width types, such as int16_t and uint16_t in C/C++, the size is guaranteed to be 16 bits, regardless of platform.

Language and usage: Many languages provide fixed-width 16-bit integer types. In C and C++, int16_t and uint16_t (from stdint.h) guarantee 16-bit width; in Java, short is a signed 16-bit type; in C#, System.Int16 and System.UInt16 are the equivalents. Arithmetic with signed 16-bit integers may overflow; unsigned overflow is defined modulo 2^16 in most languages, but C's signed overflow is undefined.

Applications and considerations: 16-bit integers are common in embedded systems, where memory is limited, and in graphics, audio, and communication protocols that specify 16-bit fields. They also appear in older software and formats. Developers must be mindful of overflow, conversions between signed and unsigned values, and the lack of automatic widening in some languages.

Related concepts: 8-bit and 32-bit integers, fixed-width integers, and endianness. While 16-bit integers remain relevant in constrained environments, many modern programs use wider types or arbitrary-precision integers, switching to 16-bit only when compatibility or memory limits require it.

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