Western Governors University (WGU) ITSW 2113 D278 Scripting and Programming Foundations Practice Exam

A constant is a variable whose value remains unchanged throughout the execution of a program. This characteristic allows programmers to define values that they want to remain fixed, thereby preventing accidental modifications during runtime. When a constant is declared in programming, it signifies that the assigned value is intended to be immutable for the life of the program.

The immutability of constants is particularly useful for defining values that are meant to represent configuration settings, mathematical constants, or any other values that should not be altered after their initial definition. For example, using a constant to represent the value of pi in mathematical calculations ensures that this critical value does not get inadvertently changed, which could lead to errors in computations.

Constants enhance code readability and maintainability, as they provide clear indications of which values should remain the same, improving the overall structure of the code. This feature distinguishes them from variables, which are designed to hold changing data throughout a program's execution.