What are magic numbers and why do some consider them problematic in programming?
Magic numbers refer to hard-coded numeric values that appear in code without explanation. They are often used directly in the logic, such as if (x == 42) or array[10]. Some consider magic numbers problematic because they lack context or meaning, making the code harder to understand and maintain. Without clear explanations or descriptive constants, other developers may struggle to interpret the significance of these numbers, leading to potential errors and difficulties when updating or debugging the code. It’s generally recommended to replace magic numbers with named constants or variables to improve code readability.