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In Computing , a first-class object (also '''-value''', '''-entity''', '''-citizen'''), in the context of a particular Programming Language , is an entity which can be used in programs without restriction (when compared to other kinds of objects in the same language). Depending on the language, this can imply:

  • being expressible as an anonymous Literal Value

  • being storable in Variables

  • being storable in Data Structures

  • having an intrinsic identity (independent of any given name)

  • being comparable for equality with other entities

  • being passable as a parameter to a procedure/function

  • being returnable as the result of a procedure/function

  • being constructable at Runtime


For example, in C , it is not possible to create new Function s at runtime, whereas other kinds of object can be created at runtime. So functions in C are not first-class objects; sometimes they are called second-class objects because they can still be manipulated in most of the above fashions (via Function Pointer s). Similarly, String s are not first class objects in Fortran as it is not possible to assign them to variables, whereas numbers can be so assigned.


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