const

Description

The

const

keyword stands for constant. It is a variable qualifier that modifies the behavior of the variable, making a variable "read-only". This means that the variable can be used just as any other variable of its type, but its value cannot be changed. You will get a compiler error if you try to assign a value to a

const

variable.

Constants defined with the

const

keyword obey the rules of variable scoping that govern other variables. This, and the pitfalls of using

#define

, makes the

const

keyword a superior method for defining constants and is preferred over using

#define

.

Example Code

Notes and Warnings

#define

or

const

You can use either

const

or

#define

for creating numeric or string constants. For arrays, you will need to use

const

. In general

const

is preferred over

#define

for defining constants.

See also

• #define