import ballerina/io;

// A variable of type `any` can hold any value except an `error` value.
any x = 1;

public function main() {
    // Can cast `any` to specific type.
    int n = <int>x;
    
    io:println(n);

    // The `lang.value` lang library contains functions that apply to multiple basic types.
    // `x.toString()` converts `x` to a `string`.
    string s = x.toString();

    io:println(s == "1");

    // Can test its type with the `is` operator.
    float f = x is int|float ? <float>x : 0.0;

    io:println(f);
}

Any type

any means any value except an error value. Equivalent to a union of all non-error basic types. Use any|error for absolutely any value. The lang.value lang library contains functions that apply to multiple basic types.

 
import ballerina/io;

any x = 1;

A variable of type any can hold any value except an error value.

public function main() {

    int n = <int>x;
    
    io:println(n);

Can cast any to specific type.

    string s = x.toString();

The lang.value lang library contains functions that apply to multiple basic types. x.toString() converts x to a string.

    io:println(s == "1");

    float f = x is int|float ? <float>x : 0.0;

Can test its type with the is operator.

    io:println(f);
}

bal run any_type.bal
1
true
1.0