Simple types

A simple type is a single value. BHaus provides a small, fixed set of them. You cannot define new simple types, only compose the existing ones. Any name that is not one of these built-ins (and not an array or Bits) refers to a type you declared.

The built-in types

Type	Alias	Describes
Character	Char	A single character of an alphabet.
String	none	A sequence of characters.
Integer	Int	A signed whole number.
UnsignedInteger	UInt	A non-negative whole number.
Float	none	A signed floating-point number.
UnsignedFloat	UFloat	A non-negative floating-point number.
Boolean	Bool	A two-state value, true or false.
Unknown	none	A value whose type is deliberately left unstated.

warning

The concept of type aliases is not 100% set.
They may be removed. So try not to use them.

The spellings are exact and the set is closed. The parser recognises Integer and Int for a signed integer and nothing else. Where a type has an alias, the two are interchangeable. Pick whichever reads better and use it consistently.

STRUCT Account:
    PUBLIC id: Integer
    PUBLIC balance: Float
    PUBLIC active: Boolean
    PUBLIC label: String

Sizes are contextual

There is no Int32 or Float64. Integer and Float default to the largest natural size on whatever platform implements the design. BHaus records the intent, a signed integer and leaves the exact width to the target language. When you need a fixed width, use Bits.

Unknown

Unknown marks a value whose type is deliberately left unstated. Language servers and linter may issue a warning for each found occurrence of Unknown.
So it is meant to be a placeholder until a concrete type is defined.

Avoid Unknown for an opaque framework value or a payload whose shape is not known. Declare an EXTERN type and reference that instead.

PROTOCOL Handler:
    PUBLIC handle(Request): Unknown

Bits

Bits<N> describes a fixed-width sequence of exactly N bits. It is the one place you write an exact width:

STRUCT Packet:
    PUBLIC flags: Bits<8>
    PUBLIC checksum: Bits<32>

N is a positive whole number written between angle brackets. There is no upper bound, so Bits<128> is valid. Use it when the exact bit-width is part of the design, such as wire formats, hardware registers or bit flags.