typesintegers

Integers are a fundamental data type in computer programming used to represent whole numbers, both positive and negative, as well as zero. The specific range and size of an integer type can vary between programming languages and hardware architectures. Common integer types include signed and unsigned integers.

Signed integers can represent both positive and negative values. The most common representation for signed integers is two's complement, which efficiently handles arithmetic operations for both positive and negative numbers. The most significant bit (MSB) in a signed integer typically indicates the sign: 0 for positive and 1 for negative.

Unsigned integers, on the other hand, can only represent non-negative values (zero and positive numbers). This allows them to represent a larger positive range compared to a signed integer of the same bit size. For example, an 8-bit unsigned integer can represent values from 0 to 255, while an 8-bit signed integer typically represents values from -128 to 127.

Common bit sizes for integer types are 8-bit (byte), 16-bit (short), 32-bit (int), and 64-bit (long). Larger bit sizes allow for representation of a wider range of numerical values. Choosing the appropriate integer type is important for efficient memory usage and to prevent integer overflow, which occurs when a calculation results in a value that exceeds the maximum representable value for the given type.