Someone finally visualized the data type hierarchy using fashion choices. Shorts for short , longs for long , and those weird capri pants that nobody asked for representing int . The real genius here is that just like capris, ints are the awkward middle ground that somehow became the default everyone uses. You don't really need them to be that specific length, but here we are, declaring them everywhere out of habit. Also yes, you technically have a "pair of ints" when you're wearing those capris. The pun game is strong with this one.