Guru: Abstract Data Types and RPG

November 8, 2021 Ted Holt

An abstract data type (ADT) is a type of data and a set of operations defined over that type of data. Using ADTs allows a programmer to work with data in terms of functionality rather than physical representation. The ADT is the basis of object-oriented programming. Does that mean that abstract data types don’t apply to procedural languages like RPG? Not at all. Quite the contrary.

Before I show you how you can use abstract data types in RPG-based applications, let me further illustrate abstract data types with another, non-OO object — the user profile. The user profile is a …