What feature of type annotations enhances code maintainability in Avaloq Script?

Type annotations in Avaloq Script improve code maintainability primarily by documenting intent and expected data types. When developers use type annotations, it becomes clear what kind of data a variable holds or what type of argument a function expects. This explicit documentation helps both the original author and other programmers who may read or maintain the code later to understand its purpose more quickly.

Having this clarity reduces the chances of errors that can arise from incorrect data types being used, as well as facilitates more straightforward debugging and testing processes. Clear type definitions enhance the readability of the code and streamline future modifications, as developers can easily identify and manage the expected types of data being manipulated.

While type annotations can provide other benefits like potentially supporting function overloading or making the code more efficient, these aspects do not contribute to maintaining clarity and understanding of the code as directly as documenting intent does. Eliminating comments is not a primary aim of type annotations either, as comments often serve other purposes that type annotations do not replace.