Also,
We use these differing features to our avantage as gardeners- so it's helpful to select varieties matching your needs.
Determinate types are great if salsa or sauce is your goal, as they grow and then ripen a concentrated set all at the same time- big harvest, then processing that big harvest. A prime example is a paste tomato (like roma) that is determinate- bred for this reason. Or, a tomato bred for patio (potted) growing.
Indeterminate- these give a more continual harvest throughout the season as they ripen fruit, vine out more, then set and ripen more.
This is great if you need a few continually throughout the seadon for eating on burgers or in salads and other fresh use- but is frustrating if you need a whole big bowl of ripe 'maters all at once for processing sauce or canning juice. You'll end up freezing them periodically as you harvest until you have what you need.
