# What is the pointer datatype in crystal language?

**URL:** <https://forum.crystal-lang.org/t/what-is-the-pointer-datatype-in-crystal-language/6160>\
**Category:** Help & Support\
**Created:** [November 12, 2023, 3:19pm UTC](https://forum.crystal-lang.org/t/what-is-the-pointer-datatype-in-crystal-language/6160 "2023-11-12T15:19:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![maverk41374](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@maverk41374](https://forum.crystal-lang.org/u/maverk41374)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 3:19pm UTC](https://forum.crystal-lang.org/t/what-is-the-pointer-datatype-in-crystal-language/6160/1 "2023-11-12T15:19:43Z")

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```auto
name : Int8 = 85

start : ??? = pointerof(name)

puts start

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Blacksmoke16](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/forum.crystal-lang.org/blacksmoke16/32/1241_2.png) [@Blacksmoke16](https://forum.crystal-lang.org/u/Blacksmoke16)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 3:20pm UTC](https://forum.crystal-lang.org/t/what-is-the-pointer-datatype-in-crystal-language/6160/2 "2023-11-12T15:20:09Z")

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It would be `Pointer(Int8)`. See [pointerof - Crystal](https://crystal-lang.org/reference/1.10/syntax_and_semantics/pointerof.html). Can also do `puts typeof(start)` to see this first hand. But fwiw either way, you don’t really need to type local vars like this.