An EntityArchetype is a unique combination of component types. The EntityManager uses the archetype to group all entities that have the same sets of components.
An entity can change archetype fluidly over its lifespan. For example, when you add or
remove components, the archetype of the affected entity changes.
An archetype object is not a container; rather it is an identifier to each unique combination
of component types that an application has created at run time, either directly or implicitly.
You can create archetypes directly using EntityManager.CreateArchetype.
You also implicitly create archetypes whenever you add or remove a component from an entity. An EntityArchetype
object is an immutable singleton; creating an archetype with the same set of components, either directly or
implicitly, results in the same archetype for a given EntityManager.
The ECS framework uses archetypes to group entities that have the same structure together. The ECS framework
stores component data in blocks of memory called "chunks". A given chunk stores only entities having the same
archetype. You can get the EntityArchetype object for a chunk from its ArchetypeChunk.Archetype
property.
Instead of using new EntityArchetype(), use EntityManager.CreateArchetype() to create EntityArchetype values.
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| ChunkCapacity | The number of entities having this archetype that can fit into a single chunk of memory. |
| ChunkCount | The current number of chunks storing entities having this archetype. |
| Disabled | Reports whether this EntityArchetype instance contains disabled entities. |
| Prefab | Reports whether this EntityArchetype instance describes a Prefab. |
| StableHash | Retrieve the stable hash for this EntityArchetype. |
| TypesCount | The number of component types this archetype contains. |
| Valid | Reports whether this EntityArchetype instance references a non-null archetype. |
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Equals | Reports whether this EntityArchetype references the same archetype as another object. |
| GetComponentTypes | Gets the types of the components making up this archetype. |
| GetHashCode | Returns the hash of the archetype. |
| ToString | Construct a string representation of this archetype, for logging or debugging. |
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| CalculateDifference | Calculates the difference between two archetypes. Reports what components need to be added to and removed from "before" in order to convert it to "after". |
| Operator | Description |
|---|---|
| operator != | Compares the archetypes for inequality. |
| operator == | Compares the archetypes for equality. |