Visual Basic .NET - Data Types

In VB.NET, data types define the type of value that can be stored in a variable or returned from a function or method. Each data type has a specific set of values and operations that can be performed on it. VB.NET supports the following data types:

  • Boolean Data Type: The Boolean data type represents a true/false value. It is used to hold values that are either true or false. It can be declared using the keyword "Boolean".
  • Byte Data Type: The Byte data type represents an unsigned 8-bit integer, which means it can hold values from 0 to 255. It can be declared using the keyword "Byte".
  • Short Data Type: The Short data type represents a signed 16-bit integer, which means it can hold values from -32,768 to 32,767. It can be declared using the keyword "Short".
  • Integer Data Type: The Integer data type represents a signed 32-bit integer, which means it can hold values from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647. It can be declared using the keyword "Integer".
  • Long Data Type: The Long data type represents a signed 64-bit integer, which means it can hold values from -9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807. It can be declared using the keyword "Long".
  • Single Data Type: The Single data type represents a 32-bit floating-point number. It can be declared using the keyword "Single".
  • Double Data Type: The Double data type represents a 64-bit floating-point number. It can be declared using the keyword "Double".
  • Decimal Data Type: The Decimal data type represents a 128-bit decimal value. It is used to store financial and monetary data where precision is important. It can be declared using the keyword "Decimal".
  • Char Data Type: The Char data type represents a single Unicode character. It can be declared using the keyword "Char".
  • String Data Type: The String data type represents a sequence of characters. It can be declared using the keyword "String".
  • Date Data Type: The Date data type represents a date and time value. It can be declared using the keyword "Date".
  • Object Data Type: The Object data type is a general-purpose data type that can hold any value. It is used when the data type of a variable is unknown at compile time. It can be declared using the keyword "Object".
  • Variant Data Type: The Variant data type is a special data type that can hold any type of value. It is used for compatibility with older VB code. It can be declared using the keyword "Variant".

In addition to these data types, VB.NET also supports user-defined data types, which are created using the "Structure" keyword. User-defined data types allow you to create complex data structures that can hold multiple values of different data types.