Understanding Structural Types
In programming, structural types are a way of defining types based on their structure and the operations they support, rather than their explicit definitions. This approach leans heavily on the duck typing principle: "If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck."
Structural types are particularly useful in functional and dynamically-typed languages. They allow for greater flexibility and abstraction, letting you focus on what the types can do, not what they are named.
Benefits of Structural Types
- Enhanced Flexibility 🦾
- Increased Code Reusability 🔄
- Ease of Integration with other systems 🤝
Example of a Structural Type in TypeScript
{ name: string, age: number }
This object type does not depend on an explicit interface but is recognized by its structure.