Hard Coded Values
Hard coded values are literal data or constants embedded directly into source code, such as numbers, strings, or configuration settings, rather than being stored in external files, environment variables, or databases. This practice involves writing fixed values that cannot be easily changed without modifying the code itself, which can lead to maintenance challenges and reduced flexibility in software applications.
Developers should learn about hard coded values to understand when they are appropriate, such as for mathematical constants (e.g., pi), simple test data, or in small, throwaway scripts where configurability is not needed. However, it is crucial to avoid hard coding in production code for settings like API keys, database URLs, or environment-specific parameters, as this makes the code less secure, harder to maintain, and non-portable across different deployments.