String (computing): Difference between revisions

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accessdate=2009-07-04
accessdate=2009-07-04
}}</ref>,  as opposed to integer variables (so called int variables) that can only hold integers (e.g. a number, such as 5) or a "float" variable, which can hold floating point numbers (e.g. numbers with decimal places - 5.5, 6.3, etc.)
}}</ref>,  as opposed to integer variables (so called int variables) that can only hold integers (e.g. a number, such as 5) or a "float" variable, which can hold floating point numbers (e.g. numbers with decimal places - 5.5, 6.3, etc.)
Some languages, such as [[Java]], do require the developer to declare a variable as a String type. Other languages, such as [[Python]] automatically "type casts" its variables. This can be helpful or it can also get in the way - if the number 1 is type cast by Python as a string (because it is in a [[list]] for example), the developer has to consciously convert that string variable to an 'int' type before any math functions can be performed.


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist|2}}

Revision as of 11:59, 4 July 2009

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This editable Main Article is under development and subject to a disclaimer.

In computing and more specifically in various programming languages, strings are a variable type that can hold text[1], as opposed to integer variables (so called int variables) that can only hold integers (e.g. a number, such as 5) or a "float" variable, which can hold floating point numbers (e.g. numbers with decimal places - 5.5, 6.3, etc.)

Some languages, such as Java, do require the developer to declare a variable as a String type. Other languages, such as Python automatically "type casts" its variables. This can be helpful or it can also get in the way - if the number 1 is type cast by Python as a string (because it is in a list for example), the developer has to consciously convert that string variable to an 'int' type before any math functions can be performed.


References

  1. Sun Microsystems. Java API Documentation: Strings. Retrieved on 2009-07-04.