Nominal Typing
Nominal typing is a type system approach where types are distinguished based on their explicit names or declarations, rather than their structure. It requires that two types are considered compatible only if they have the same name or are explicitly declared as subtypes/supertypes, ensuring type safety through explicit relationships. This contrasts with structural typing, which compares types based on their properties and methods.
Developers should learn nominal typing when working in languages like Java, C#, or Swift, where type safety and explicit contracts are critical, such as in enterprise applications or systems requiring strict inheritance hierarchies. It is particularly useful for preventing accidental type mismatches in object-oriented programming, ensuring that APIs and class hierarchies are used as intended, which enhances code reliability and maintainability.