A data type in programming defines a set of values and operations that can be performed on those values. Integers, floats, and strings are among Python's predefined built-in types.
Static vs. Dynamic Typing
Programming languages use different approaches to data typing:
- Static Typing: Variables are declared with a specific data type before they are used and can only be assigned values of that type throughout their lifetime. This approach can catch type-related errors at compile-time. Examples include languages like Java and C++.
- Dynamic Typing: The data type of a variable is determined at runtime, based on the value it holds at any given moment. This allows more flexibility, as the same variable can hold different types of values at different times during execution. Python uses dynamic typing.