objecttypen

Objecttypen, or object types, describe the category or shape of objects that share a common structure and behavior. In software design, an object type defines the allowed state (attributes) and operations (methods) that objects of that type can have. It provides a contract that code can rely on when interacting with such objects.

In object-oriented languages, a class is a primary way to define an object type; instances created from the class belong to that type. Some languages distinguish between the type as an abstract concept and the class as an implementation. Other typing approaches, such as structural typing, determine type compatibility from an object's shape rather than its declared name.

Object types can be primitive (numbers, strings) or composite (records, arrays, interfaces). In JSON and schema definitions, an object type describes required and optional fields and their types. In databases, object types can refer to row types or table schemas.

Type systems use object types to support safety and abstraction. Subtyping allows a value of one object type to be used where another is expected; polymorphism enables the same operation to work on different object types. Static type checking catches errors at compile time, while dynamic typing defers checks to runtime.

Design and maintenance considerations include keeping object types stable, versioning interfaces, and providing clear documentation. Schema validation and contract testing help ensure compatibility across components.