Objecttypes

Objecttypes refer to the abstract classifications used to describe objects in computing. An object type defines the set of data that an object can hold and the operations that can be performed on it. In many programming languages, each object carries a type that determines its behavior, the available methods, and how it is stored in memory. The type system governs how values are used and how they relate to one another, enabling compile-time checks in statically typed languages and run-time checks in dynamically typed ones.

In object-oriented languages, a class typically serves as the blueprint for an object type. An instance created from a class has the class as its type, with the class’s methods and fields forming the object’s interface. Some languages also support interfaces, protocols, or mixins that describe a set of permissible operations independent of concrete classes.

In addition to language-native types, many systems support object types in databases and data interchange. Object-relational databases define user-defined object types that bundle fields with optional methods. Object types can support inheritance, encapsulation, and polymorphism, enabling more expressive data models and reusable components.

Implementation details vary: runtime type information and reflection enable programs to inspect and manipulate object types dynamically, while static type checking enforces type safety at compile time. Properly designed object types aid encapsulation, interoperability, and extensibility, and are a core concern of software architecture and data modeling.

See also: type system, class, interface, protocol, reflection, object-relational database.