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Hard coding (also hard-coding or hardcoding) is the software development practice of embedding data directly into the source code of a program or other executable object, as opposed to obtaining the data from external sources or generating it at runtime.
Hard-coded data typically can be modified only by editing the source code and recompiling the executable, although it can be changed in memory or on disk using a debugger or hex editor.
Data that is hard-coded is best suited for unchanging pieces of information, such as physical constants, version numbers, and static text elements.
Softcoded data, on the other hand, encodes arbitrary information through user input, text files, INI files, HTTP server responses, configuration files, preprocessor macros, external constants, databases, command-line arguments, and is determined at runtime.