enumitüüp

An enumitüüp, often shortened to enum, is a user-defined data type that consists of a set of named constants. These constants are also known as enumerators. The primary purpose of an enumitüüp is to provide a more readable and maintainable way to represent a fixed set of values. Instead of using raw numbers or strings to denote specific states or options, an enumitüüp allows developers to assign meaningful names to these values, improving code clarity.

For example, instead of using integers 0, 1, and 2 to represent days of the week, an enumitüüp could define constants like `MONDAY`, `TUESDAY`, and `WEDNESDAY`. This makes the code self-documenting and reduces the likelihood of errors caused by misremembering or mistyping numerical codes.

Different programming languages implement enumitüüps with varying levels of features. Some languages treat enumitüüps as simple integer constants, while others provide more advanced capabilities, such as allowing them to hold associated values, methods, or to be associated with specific types. The underlying implementation often involves mapping the named constants to integer values, starting from zero by default, though this can often be customized.

When a variable is declared to be of an enumitüüp, it can only hold one of the predefined named constants within that enumitüüp. This constraint helps to enforce data integrity and prevent invalid values from being assigned. Enumitüüps are widely used in scenarios such as representing states, types, options, or any situation where a variable can only take a limited, predefined set of values.