# Types

Slang types:
* [Fundamental Types](types-fundamental.md)
* [Vector and Matrix Types](types-vector-and-matrix.md)
* [Structures](types-struct.md) and [Classes](types-class.md)
* [Enumerations](types-enum.md)
* [Extensions](types-extension.md)
* [Array Types](types-array.md)
* [Pointers](types-pointer.md)
* [Interfaces](types-interface.md)
* [Special Types](types-special.md)

Other topics:
* [Type Traits](types-traits.md)
* [Type Attributes](types-attributes.md)


## Type Specifiers {#specifier}

A [type specifier](#specifier) names a type. Type specifiers are used in variable declarations, function
parameter and return type declarations, and elsewhere where a type is required. Type specifiers are divided
into two categories:

- A **simple type specifier** is a type expression that names a type but never declares one. Simple type
  specifiers are used in function parameter and return type declarations, modern variable declarations, type
  constraints, and other places where the ability to declare new types is not expected. Two main forms
  exist:
  - *Simple type identifier specifier* based on a previously declared type, optionally with an array
    declaration and generic parameters.
  - *Simple function type specifier* specifying a function type.
- A **type specifier** is a type expression that names a type, possibly by declaring it. A simple type
  specifier is a subset of the full type specifier. A type specifier is a part of the
  [variable declaration](declarations.md) syntax, which is used to declare variables, as the name suggests.

### Syntax {#syntax}

Simple type specifier:
> *`simple-type-spec`* =<br>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(*`simple-type-id-spec`*<br>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;|*`simple-type-func-spec`*)

Type specifier for named non-array, array, non-pointer, and pointer types:
> *`simple-type-id-spec`* =<br>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[*`modifier-list`*]<br>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;*`type-identifier`*<br>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[*`generic-params-decl`*]<br>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(**`'['`** [*`constant-index-expr`*] **`']'`** | **`'*'`** )*

Type specifier for function types:
> *`simple-type-func-spec`* =<br>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[*`modifier-list`*]<br>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**`'functype'`** **`'('`** *`param-list`* **`')'`** **`'->'`** *`simple-type-id-spec`*

Full type specifier, possibly declaring a new type:
> Simple type specifier:<br>
> *`type-spec`* = *`simple-type-spec`*
> <br><br>
> struct/class/enum type specifier:<br>
> *`type-spec`* =<br>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(*`struct-decl`* | *`class-decl`* | *`enum-decl`*)<br>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[*`generic-params-decl`*]<br>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(**`'['`** [*`constant-index-expr`*] **`']'`** | **`'*'`** )*<br>

#### Parameters

- *`modifier-list`* is an optional list of modifiers (TODO: link)
- *`type-identifier`* is an identifier that names an existing type or a generic type. For example, this may be
  a [fundamental type](types-fundamental.md), [vector/matrix generic type](types-vector-and-matrix.md),
  user-defined type such as a named [structure type](types-struct.md), [interface type](types-interface.md),
  [enumeration type](types-enum.md), type alias, or a type provided by a module.
- *`generic-params-decl`* is a [generic parameters declaration](generics.md).
- **`'['`** [*`constant-index-expr`*] **`']'`** is an [array dimension declaration](types-array.md) with an
  optional constant integral expression specifying the dimension length.
- **`'*'`** is a [pointer declaration](types-pointer.md).
- *`param-list`* is a function parameter list. See [function parameter list (TODO)](TODO).
- *`struct-decl`* is a [structure](types-struct.md) type declaration, possibly also defining the type.
- *`class-decl`* is a [class (TODO)](types-class.md) type declaration, possibly also defining the type.
- *`enum-decl`* is an [enumeration](types-enum.md) type declaration, possibly also defining the type.


### Description

A type specifier names a type and possibly also declares a new type. The named type is always a non-generic
type. If *`type-identifier`* specifies a generic type, generic parameters *`generic-params-decl`* must be
provided to fully specialize the type.

Simple type specifiers *`simple-type-spec`* only name types but never declare new types. Simple type
specifiers are used in:
- [modern variable (TODO)](TODO) declarations
- [function parameter (TODO)](TODO) declarations
- [function return value type (TODO)](TODO) declarations
- [structure property](types-struct.md#property)
- [structure subscript operator](types-struct.md#subscript-op)
- [generic type parameter declarations](generics.md)
- [typealias](#alias) declarations

Declaration of new types is allowed in:
- Global declaration statements (TODO: link)
- Function body declaration statements (TODO: link)
- Traditional variable declarations (TODO: link)
- [structure](types-struct.md) members declaring nested types
- [extension](types-extension.md) members declaring nested types
- [typedef](#alias) declarations

> 📝 **Remark 1:** *`simple-type-spec`* is a syntactic subset of the full *`type-expr`*. The subset only names
> a type but never declares one.

> 📝 **Remark 2:** The dual nature of type expressions---naming and possibly declaring a type---is a side
> effect of the C-style type expression grammar. This extends to traditional variable declarations where a
> single declaration can declare a type and one or more variables. (TODO: link)

> 📝 **Remark 3:** Unlike in C++, `const`, `inline`, and similar keywords are modifiers. This
> restricts their allowed placement to the left of the type specifier. For example, `const int a = 5;` is a
> valid variable declaration but `int const a = 5;` is not.

> 📝 **Remark 4:** Modifier `volatile` has been deprecated in Slang 2025 and removed in Slang 2026.
> [Atomic\<T\>](../../../core-module-reference/types/atomic-0/index.html) should be used instead.


## Type Alias Declarations {#alias}

A [type alias](#alias) is a name that refers to a previously declared type.

### Syntax

Type alias declaration:
> **`'typealias'`** *`identifier`* **`'='`** *`simple-type-spec`* **`';'`**

Typedef declaration:
> **`'typedef'`** *`type-spec`* *`identifier`* **`';'`**

Generic type alias declaration:
> **`'typealias'`** *`identifier`*<br>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; *`generic-params-decl`* (**`'where'`** *`where-clause`*)\* **`'='`**<br>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;*`simple-type-spec`* [*`generic-params-decl`*] **`';'`**

### Description

A `typealias` declaration introduces a name for a type. A `typedef` declaration is an alternative syntax that
also allows declaring a new type.

A generic type alias declaration declares a parameterized alias for a generic type. This is described in
[Generics](generics.md).


## Complete and Incomplete Types {#incomplete}

A type is incomplete when it is declared but not defined. An incomplete type cannot be used to declare
variables. An incomplete type other than `void` may be completed with a subsequent definition. For further
information, see [declarations](declarations.md).


## Memory Layout

Types in Slang do not generally have identical memory layouts in different targets. Any unspecified details on
layout may depend on the target language, the target device, the declared extensions, the compiler options,
and the context in which a type is used.


## Known and Unknown Size

Every type has either a known or an unknown size. Types with unknown size generally stem from unknown-length
arrays:
* An unknown-length array type has an unknown size.
* The size of a structure type is unknown if it has a non-static data member with unknown size.

The use of types with unknown size is restricted as follows:
* A type with unknown size cannot be used as the element type of an array.
* A type with unknown size can only be used as the last field of a structure type.
* A type with unknown size cannot be used as a generic argument to specialize a user-defined type, function,
  etc. Specific built-in generic types/functions may support unknown-size types, and this will be documented
  on the specific type/function.
* A type with unknown size cannot be instantiated as a variable.

> 📝 **Remark:** Unknown size is different from unspecified or target-specified size. Many
> [special types](types-special.md) have target-specified sizes; sizes of [structures](types-struct.md) and
> [arrays](types-array.md) are subject to target-specific alignment rules; and certain
> [fundamental types](types-fundamental.md) such as `bool` have target-specified sizes. Types with unspecified
> or target-specified sizes are not subject to the restrictions of types with unknown sizes, although they may
> have other restrictions.
