Multiple packet data container types for a processing pipeline

A network forwarding integrated circuit (IC) comprising a set of packet processing pipelines, at least one packet processing pipeline comprising:

• a plurality of match-action stages configured to (i) receive input packet data values for a particular packet stored in a set of data containers of different types and (ii) generate output packet data values for the particular packet for storage in the set of data containers, wherein at least one of a set of the match-action stages comprises:
• a set of match circuits configured to use a first subset of the set of data containers to perform a set of match operations to generate a set of action data values, wherein the first subset of the set of data containers comprises data containers of a first type and data containers of a second type;
• and
• a set of arithmetic logic units (ALUs) configured to generate, based on the set of action data values, a first set of output packet data values to store in a second subset of the set of data containers, wherein the second subset of the set of data containers comprises only data containers of the first type, wherein a second set of output packet data values to store in a third subset of the set of data containers are generated based on the set of action data values without the set of ALUs, the third subset of the set of data containers comprising data containers of the second type and data containers of a third type.