Type

Return to Terms and Definitions

A type identifies a category of values, objects, model elements, messages, events, or expressions that share defined characteristics. A type constrains interpretation by identifying what kind of thing an instance represents.

Types carry semantics because they distinguish meanings that may otherwise share the same physical representation. For example, an LEI, an ISIN, a currency code, and a jurisdiction code may all appear as character strings. Their types distinguish their meanings, valid values, governing authorities, and permitted uses.

In architecture, types support semantic precision, validation, interoperability, mapping, interface contracts, and implementation discipline.

category of values, objects, model elements, messages, events, or expressions that share defined characteristics within a type system

Generalised from software engineering, modeling, and formal language usage; specialized for use in the FX Demo Reference Architecture.

A type is not only a programming-language construct. Types also appear in schemas, metamodels, data models, message contracts, interface definitions, event models, and conceptual models.

CurrencyAmount, ExchangeRate, LEI, ISIN, SettlementDate, and JurisdictionCode are distinct types even when their physical representations use common primitive datatypes such as decimal, string, or date.