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## const keyword

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 rules of variable scoping that govern other variables. This, and the pitfalls of using#define, makes the const keyword a superior method for defining constants and is preferred over using #define.

#### Example

    const float pi = 3.14;
    float x;

    // ....

    x = pi * 2;    // it's fine to use const's in math

    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 arrays, you will need to use const. In general const is preferred over #define for defining constants.

See also:

- #define
- volatile

Reference Home

Corrections, suggestions, and new documentation should be posted to the Forum.

The text of the Arduino reference is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. Code samples in the reference are released into the public domain.

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