# Data types

[Read this page in HTML](https://www.scopedb.io/docs/reference/data-types)

ScopeQL values have a data type that determines which operations accept them. Use these type names in column definitions, casts, and function arguments.

## List of data types

| Type        | Description                                                                  |
| ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `int`       | Signed 64-bit integer, from -9223372036854775808 to 9223372036854775807.     |
| `uint`      | Unsigned 64-bit integer, from 0 to 18446744073709551615.                     |
| `float`     | 64-bit floating-point number, including infinities and `NaN`.                |
| `string`    | UTF-8 text.                                                                  |
| `binary`    | Sequence of bytes.                                                           |
| `boolean`   | TRUE or FALSE.                                                               |
| `timestamp` | Instant in time, expressed as signed 64-bit nanoseconds from the Unix epoch. |
| `interval`  | Duration expressed as signed 64-bit nanoseconds.                             |
| `array`     | Ordered sequence of values, which may have different types.                  |
| `object`    | String keys mapped to values, which may have different types.                |
| `any`       | A value of any supported type, including an array or object.                 |

`float` comparisons use a total order: `NaN` equals itself and is greater than every other non-NULL `float` value. Positive and negative zero compare equal. See [comparison operators](https://www.scopedb.io/docs/reference/commands/query-operators/comparison.md).

## NULL values

NULL represents a missing value. Use `IS NULL` or `IS NOT NULL` to test for it; `value = NULL` returns NULL, not a boolean answer.

Use a typed NULL when the intended type is otherwise ambiguous, for example `NULL::string` or `NULL::array`. This matters in `VALUES`, where the first row determines each column's type. Here the first checkout event has no campaign, but later events supply a string:

```scopeql
VALUES ('evt-17', NULL::string), ('evt-42', 'spring')
SELECT $0 AS event_id, $1 AS campaign
```

```text
+----------+----------+
| event_id | campaign |
+----------+----------+
| evt-17   | NULL     |
| evt-42   | spring   |
+----------+----------+
```

## Related types and conversions

* [Date and time data types](https://www.scopedb.io/docs/reference/data-types/datetime.md): timestamp ranges, time zones, and intervals.
* [Semi-structured data types](https://www.scopedb.io/docs/reference/data-types/semi-structured.md): arrays, objects, and `any` values.
* [Data type conversion](https://www.scopedb.io/docs/reference/data-types/conversion.md): explicit casts and implicit conversions.