C# Programming - Datatypes - Discussion

Enumerations are value type. Wheather they are of fixed length or variable length?

Structures are variable length or fixed length?

Hi, Thankyou all. It is very useful for students and beginners.

Array is a variable data type? But it is behind a int. So, how it is called variable data type?

There are two types of datatypes:

1) Value type: int, long, short...etc.

2) Reference type: string & array.

Data Types are divided into two type:.

1. Value types.
2. Reference type.

If all the values of variable stored in stack memory we called it as a VALUE type where all the fixed length types are value types only.

EG: int, float, char etc.

Note: Stack memory is under OS control that able to allocated the memory only in fixed length. Now the question arises string and objects are variable length datatypes then how memory allocation is there on stack for them?

ANSWER: This is overcome by a special thing called it as a "MANAGED HEAP" in which all the values of variable length datatype is store on manage heap and the address or reference of that variable is store on stack memory where all variable length types are reference type only.

EG: string and objects etc.

Heap is a memory location which is monitored by Garbage Collector which provide a beautiful feature of automatic memory management.

NOTE: In Java and .Net as a heap is monitored by Garbage collector it is referred as managed heap.

Int, single, Long is of fixed length and all are store data in stack.

Array and String take value as reference type.

In Int, long, single will take directly value but other taking the reference of that value.