In programming, what does a literal represent?

A literal represents a fixed value directly specified in the source code. This can include various types such as integers, floating-point numbers, characters, strings, and boolean values. For example, in the statement int number = 5;, the 5 is a literal; it explicitly represents the fixed integer value that is assigned to the variable number.

Literals are used when you need to represent constant values without needing to define them in a variable. They play a critical role in programming because they allow programmers to express values clearly and directly in the code. This clarity aids in understanding and maintaining the code, as literals are used in expressions and assignments to provide necessary data for computations or conditional evaluations.