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 only be modified 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.

<jargon> (By analogy with "hard-wired") Said of a data value or behaviour written directly into a program, possibly in multiple places, where it cannot be easily modified. There are several alternatives, depending on how often the value is likely to change. It may be replaced with a compile-time constant, such as a C "#define" macro, in which case a change will still require recompilation; or it may be read at run time from a profile, resource (see de-rezz), or environment variable that a user can easily modify; or it may be read as part of the program's input data. To change something hard-coded requires recompilation (if using a compiled language of course) but, more seriously, it requires sufficient understanding of the implementation to be sure that the change will not introduce inconsistency and cause the program to fail. For example, "The line terminator is hard-coded as newline; who in their right mind would use anything else?" See magic number. [Jargon File] (1999-10-18)

Hard is a quarter in the district 4 of Zürich. It was formerly a part of Aussersihl municipality, which was incorporated into Zürich in 1893.