Climbing shoes

There are basically two different general types of climbing shoes. These two types are called board-lasted and slip-lasted. The names have to do with how they are manufactured.
Board-lasted shoes are generally stiffer while slip-lasted shoes are generally softer and more sensitive. Because they are usually quite stiff, board-lasted shoes are great for sticking your feet in cracks and also for standing on small edges. Slip-lasted shoes on the other hand are great for smearing on small holds. Slip-lasted shoes are usually more sensitive and better for more technical climbing.
When buying your first pair of climbing shoes, the main thing to do is to make sure they are Comfortable. Later on, you can buy shoes that perform better. It won’t make any difference when you first start climbing to buy shoes that are so small or so technical that they are uncomfortable. What that will do is make you equate pain with climbing and possibly even squelch your desire to climb. You do want your shoes to be tight without socks on but the key balance is tight but comfortable. They shouldn’t fit like regular street shoes.