• Core: also known as the original child, the core is considered by some to be the part that was born first of the body. Some see the core as the main part of the system, the part that has the most power and influence over the other parts and the most important part for whom the other parts were created**.**
• Host: it is the alter that most commonly uses the body. Host alters collectively fall into the category of fronters, or alters that often "front", taking control of the body and the conscious front of the mind. Host alters are responsible for most aspects of daily life, although teams of alter fronters can divide daily life into more manageable and specialized units such as socializing, gym, work and body care.
• Protector: protectors are the alters that protect the specific body, system, host, core or other alters or groups of alters. Physical protectors can deal with or try to prevent physical abuse or become aggressive in trying to defend themselves against physical abuse. Verbal protectors can deal with verbal abuse or fight back verbally to contain verbal abuse. Emotional protectors can deal with emotional abuse or comfort other alters to mitigate the effects of emotional abuse. Sexual protectors can deal with sexual abuse or try to instigate sexual abuse in an attempt to feel more in control of the situation.
• Caretaker: caretakers are a type of protector and focus specifically on caring for younger, weaker or more vulnerable alters.
• Persecutor: they are another specific type of protector that are often not seen as such, but that work to protect by harming the system itself in order to prevent external damage.
• Memory Holder: memory holders are alters who keep memories that are usually traumatic in nature, so that other alters don't have to be confronted by the memories. Other times, memory holders can hold memories of childhood innocence or being loved by the system's abusive or negligent family. In the latter cases, memory holders can serve to preserve those memories uncontaminated by trauma memories or to avoid confronting the system with the pain of what the abuse has cost them. Memory holders are highly associated with abuse takers, alters who experience trauma so that other alters do not need to pass.
• Gatekeeper: A gatekeeper is an alter that controls the switching or access to the front, access to the interior or certain internal areas, or access to certain alters or memories. The existence of a gatekeeper is highly stabilizing for a system because gatekeepers can, to some extent, prevent unwanted switching, failure to switch when necessary, or failure to switch to the correct alter. They can help prevent bleeding from traumatic memories of the alters who hold them to alters who have yet to deal with them. They can police the boundaries between subsystems. Since gatekeepers have control over which alters have access to the front, they themselves are often or always close to the front and, therefore, witness everything that happens to the system. They can suffer a lot of abuse and can present themselves as young forever, without emotion and not human as a way to process it and face it.
• Internal Self Helper: An internal self helper is an alter that holds a vast amount of knowledge about the system, alters, trauma and / or internal functioning. For those who believe in color, the internal self helper is often seen as the first alter to be created or as the internal voice normally pseudo-separated from the logic and reason that everyone has. For those who subscribe to the theory of structural dissociation, internal self helpers are often seen as observer parts or hidden observers, both less than distinct states. Internal self helper may or may not serve as a gatekeeper.
• Fragment: A fragment is an alter that is not fully differentiated or developed. Fragments can exist to perform a single function or job, to contain a single memory or emotion, or to represent a single idea. Depending on how individual systems use the term, a fragment can be any alter that would not survive if left to its own devices or that could not pass through a fully developed individual without the help of other alters. The fragments were generally not exposed to experiences that were sufficiently complex, different or interactive to incorporate more into their sense of identity and thus become more developed and differentiated. It is possible that the fragments will develop into more elaborate changes if necessary or for later use.
• Little: Alter minor, inner child, usually accompanied by protectors; they can be memory holders and protectors as well. They do not normally grow old, they are basically children forever.