DDEtype

DDEtype is a dynamic data element used in data exchange systems to encapsulate a value of any supported type. It is designed to act as a universal container that can store numbers, text, booleans, null, as well as composite structures such as lists and maps.

In typical implementations, a DDEtype value carries a type discriminator that records the stored data's kind, enabling safe runtime operations and serialization. Supported primitive types commonly include integers, floating-point numbers, booleans, and strings; container types include arrays and dictionaries; a null or undefined value is also allowed.

Common operations include creation, inspection of the stored type, retrieval of the value cast to a target type, and updates. DDEtype values can be nested, forming trees of values. Some implementations provide features such as deep cloning, equality semantics, and compatibility with multiple wire formats (JSON, XML, binary).

Usage scenarios include inter-component communication in heterogeneous environments, configuration systems, and data interchange layers where a single value container must carry heterogeneous data. In code, a DDEtype instance might be created with an initial value, queried with a type() function, and converted to a target representation via toString or toJSON.

Criticism and limitations include performance overhead from dynamic typing and type tagging, potential runtime errors if values are miscast, and complexity in ensuring consistent serialization across languages. DDEtype is typically pitched as a compromise between flexibility and safety, favoring interoperability in multi-language ecosystems.

See also: dynamic typing, variant type, any type, data serialization, JSON, YAML.