Abstract

Almost every programming language has a type system of some description. From the flexible typing of scripting languages like PHP or the mathematically-grounded type systems found in many functional languages such as Haskell, types are an integral part of high-level programming.

My talk will give a brief survey of some of the key aspects of type system design and type theory that you should consider when creating and using programming languages. I will cover different high-level type system classifications before progressing to some more technical concepts. I will discuss polymorphism, algebraic data types and dependent types, with examples in various languages from C to Idris.

Understanding your programming language’s type system and using it to its full potential will let you write more effective and reliable software.