We begin to study classical dimension theory from the computable analysis (TTE) point of view. For computable metric spaces, several effectivisations of zero-dimensionality are shown to be equivalent. The part of this characterisation that concerns c
overing dimension extends to higher dimensions and to closed shrinkings of finite open covers. To deal with zero-dimensional subspaces uniformly, four operations (relative to the space and a class of subspaces) are defined; these correspond to definitions of inductive and covering dimensions and a countable basis condition. Finally, an effective retract characterisation of zero-dimensionality is proven under an effective compactness condition. In one direction this uses a version of the construction of bilocated sets.
