Magic String

Noun · Slang & Abbreviations

Definitions

  1. A hardcoded string literal with special meaning that a program depends on, usually without type safety or strong discoverability. Magic strings make systems fragile because correctness can hinge on exact spelling.

    In plain English: A special hardcoded text value that the program relies on in a fragile way.

    Example: "We should replace that event-name magic string with an enum before it bites us."

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