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.. highlight:: cpp
.. _lang-const:
``const``
=========
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 same rules of
:ref:`variable scoping <lang-scope>` that govern other
variables. This, and the pitfalls of using :ref:`#define
<lang-define>`, often makes using the ``const`` keyword a superior
method for defining constants than ``#define``.
Example
-------
::
// this defines a variable called "pi", which cannot be changed:
const float pi = 3.14;
float x;
// ....
x = pi * 2; // it's fine to find the value of a const variable
pi = 7; // illegal - you can't write to (modify) a constant
**#define** or **const**
------------------------
You can use either ``const`` or ``#define`` for creating numeric or
string constants. For :ref:`arrays <lang-array>`\ , you will need
to use ``const``. In general, ``const`` is preferred over ``#define``
for defining constants.
See Also
--------
- :ref:`#define <lang-define>`
- :ref:`volatile <lang-volatile>`
.. include:: cc-attribution.txt
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