Data Types Overview

The data type of a programming element refers to what kind of data it can hold and how that data is stored. Data types apply to all values that can be stored in computer memory or participate in the evaluation of an expression. Every variable, literal, constant, property, procedure argument, and procedure return value has a data type.

A declared data type is specified as part of the declaration of a programming element. Unless you use typeless programming, you must declare data types for all your programming elements.

This section describes the declaration and use of Visual Basic .NET data types.

In This Section

Data Type Declaration

Covers declaring data types of various programming elements.

Elementary Data Types

Discusses numeric, character, and miscellaneous types provided by Visual Basic.

Composite Data Types

Summarizes structures, arrays, and classes as data types.

Data Type Implementation

Illustrates how Visual Basic .NET classifies and implements various data types.

Type Conversions

Explains changing between data types, classifications of conversions, special considerations.

Structures: Your Own Data Types

Discusses structures, how to declare them, and how to use them.

Typeless Programming

Provides an overview of programming without declaring data types, type semantics.