A data type specifies the type of data that a variable can store such as integer, floating, character etc. There are several kinds of built-in data types. These are often called fundamental data types or primitives.
The integer (whole number) types areshort, int, long, and long. The float, double and long double types are floating-point (real number) types. The char type holds a single character and the bool type contains either a true or false value.
There are 4 types of data types in C++ language.
| Types | Data Types |
|---|---|
| Basic Data Type | int, char, float, double, etc., |
| Derived Data Type | array, pointer, etc., |
| Enumeration Data Type | enum |
| User Defined Data Type | structure |
In C++, the exact size and range of data types are not fixed. The size and range of these data types may vary between processor types and compilers. However, in all cases a character is 1 byte. The memory size of basic data types may change according to 32 or 64 bit operating system.
The basic data types are integer-based and floating-point based. C++ language supports both signed and unsigned literals.
Below are the data types Defined by the ANSI/ISO C standard.
| Data Types | Typical Size in Bits | Minimal Range |
|---|---|---|
char |
1 byte | -128 to 127 |
signed char |
1 byte | -128 to 127 |
unsigned char |
1 byte | 0 to 127 |
short |
2 byte | -32,768 to 32,767 |
signed short |
2 byte | -32,768 to 32,767 |
unsigned short |
2 byte | 0 to 32,767 |
int |
2 byte | -32,768 to 32,767 |
signed int |
2 byte | -32,768 to 32,767 |
unsigned int |
2 byte | 0 to 32,767 |
short int |
2 byte | -32,768 to 32,767 |
signed short int |
2 byte | -32,768 to 32,767 |
unsigned short int |
2 byte | 0 to 32,767 |
long int |
4 byte | -2,147,483,647 to 2,147,483,647 |
signed long int |
4 byte | -2,147,483,647 to 2,147,483,647 |
unsigned long int |
4 byte | 0 to 4,294,967,295 |
float |
4 byte | IE-37 to IE+37, with six digits of precision |
double |
8 byte | IE-37 to IE+37, with ten digits of precision |
long double |
10 byte | IE-37 to IE+37, with ten digits of precision |
