+enum ctf_type_id bt_ctf_field_type(const struct definition *def);
+
+/*
+ * bt_ctf_get_int_signedness: return the signedness of an integer
+ *
+ * return 0 if unsigned
+ * return 1 if signed
+ * return -1 on error
+ */
+int bt_ctf_get_int_signedness(const struct definition *field);
+
+/*
+ * bt_ctf_get_int_base: return the base of an int or a negative value on error
+ */
+int bt_ctf_get_int_base(const struct definition *field);
+
+/*
+ * bt_ctf_get_int_byte_order: return the byte order of an int or a negative
+ * value on error
+ */
+int bt_ctf_get_int_byte_order(const struct definition *field);
+
+/*
+ * bt_ctf_get_encoding: return the encoding of an int or a string.
+ * return a negative value on error
+ */
+enum ctf_string_encoding bt_ctf_get_encoding(const struct definition *field);
+
+/*
+ * bt_ctf_get_array_len: return the len of an array or a negative
+ * value on error
+ */
+int bt_ctf_get_array_len(const struct definition *field);