Runtime support for nullable types

A system embodied on a computer readable storage medium that facilitates null support for programming language types, comprising:

• a nullable type that includes an underlying value of a type associated with at least one programming language and an indicator value that signals when an instance of the nullable type represents null;
• and
• a runtime component that provides runtime support for the nullable type, wherein the runtime component prevents execution of instances of a nullable type nested within another nullable type, and wherein the runtime component includes an identifier component that identifies the instance of the nullable type, and a conversion component that provides conversion between an instance of the nullable type and an instance of a reference type, and wherein conversion of the instance of the nullable type to an instance of a reference type includes unwrapping the instance of the nullable type, generating a reference to the underlying value when the indicator value signals that the instance of the nullable type does not represent null and generating a null reference when the indicator value signals that the instance of the nullable type represents null.