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What does "literal" mean in programming?

literal 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 fixed value written directly in the source code, such as a number (42), string ('hello'), boolean (true), or array ([1, 2, 3]). Literals represent their own value without needing a variable.

Example

"const pi = 3.14159; // 3.14159 is a numeric literal"

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