← Glossary
Was this page helpful?
What does "explain" mean in programming?
explain 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 describe something clearly so that another person can understand it. Developers explain their decisions in code comments, pull request descriptions, and design documents.
Example
"Explain why you chose this approach in the pull request description."
Word forms
| Form | Type | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| explain | verb (infinitive) | To describe something clearly so that another person can understand it | "Explain the architecture to the new team member." |
| explained | past tense | Already described clearly | "I explained the issue in the pull request description." |
| explaining | gerund | In the process of describing something clearly | "Explaining your reasoning in code reviews helps junior developers learn." |
Can you put this sentence in the right order?
Tap the words to place them here
Keep building your technical English
You just looked up what this word means. Lingua-e turns vocabulary like this into full practice: fill-in-the-blanks, listening, and real developer conversations.
Practice this for free