EDataType

EDataType is a fundamental concept within the Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF). It represents a type of data that can be stored in an EMF model. Think of it as the blueprint for the kinds of values that attributes and references within your model can hold. EDataType defines the name of the data type, its namespace, and importantly, whether it is a primitive type (like an integer or string) or a complex object.

EMF provides a rich set of predefined EDataTypes, covering common Java primitive types, String, Date, and even EObject itself. Developers can also define their own custom EDataTypes to model domain-specific information. When an Ecore model is generated, EDataType objects are used to specify the type of each feature (attributes and references) defined in the model. This type information is crucial for EMF's serialization, validation, and runtime behavior, ensuring that data conforms to its defined structure. Understanding EDataType is key to effectively designing and working with EMF models.