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What does "credential" mean in programming?
credential 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
A piece of information used to prove identity, such as a username and password, an API key, or a certificate. Credentials must be stored securely and never exposed in logs or client-side code.
Example
"Never hardcode credentials in source code; use environment variables instead."
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