What does "concatenate" mean in programming?

concatenate is one of the most common terms in software development. This guide explains what it means, how it is used in practice, and why it matters, with real examples from the developer world.

Definition

To join two or more strings or arrays end to end to produce a new one. In JavaScript use the + operator or template literals for strings, and concat() or the spread operator for arrays.

Example

"const fullName = firstName + ' ' + lastName; // concatenating strings"

Word forms

Form	Type	Meaning	Example
concatenate	verb (infinitive)	To join strings or arrays end to end	"Concatenate the first and last name with a space."
concatenated	past tense	Joined strings or arrays end to end	"The two strings were concatenated into one."
concatenating	gerund	Joining strings or arrays end to end	"Concatenating many strings in a loop is inefficient; prefer join()."

Related terms

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