What does the `type` word do?

Question

Given the following function, (borrowed from Rosetta Code)

: (echo) ( sock buf -- sock buf )
  begin
    cr ." waiting..."
    2dup 2dup size read-socket nip
    dup 0>
  while
    ."  got: " 2dup type ( <-- HERE )
    rot write-socket
  repeat
  drop drop drop ;

What does type do in,

."  got: " 2dup type

Answer 1

type is a word. You can find the list of the words here

type       c-addr u –         core       “type”

If u>0, display u characters from a string starting with the character stored at c-addr.

In this case you have

128 constant size
create buf size allot

Then you set buf with read-socket. This type it to a string and prints it out.

Returns a memory address for the string and the size.

cr s" foo bar " .s

Output:

<2> 94085808947584 8  ok

Here we provide the memory address and size to type and get "foo bar"

cr 94085808947584 8 type

Output:

foo bar  ok