Overview
The fixnum package provides 32-bit and 64-bit signed fixed-width integer types that ensure consistent behavior across Dart's native and JavaScript runtimes. It addresses discrepancies in integer handling between platforms, particularly in web environments where JavaScript uses floating-point numbers for integers. This library is ideal for applications requiring predictable arithmetic and bitwise operations regardless of the execution environment.
Use cases
- Cross-platform integer consistency
- Web and native integer synchronization
- Cryptographic operations
- Network protocol implementations
- Binary data processing
- Low-level system programming
Key features
- Fixed 32-bit and 64-bit integer types
- Consistent overflow behavior
- Bitwise operation support
- JavaScript runtime compatibility
- No external dependencies
- Minimal performance overhead
Suitable for
- Developers targeting multiple platforms
- Applications requiring precise integer arithmetic
- Systems programming in Dart
- Interoperability with binary protocols
- Projects needing deterministic integer behavior
Considerations
- Not needed for basic integer use cases
- May introduce slight overhead for simple operations
- Requires explicit import for fixed-width types
- Limited to signed integers only
- Not suitable for arbitrary-precision arithmetic