Mutation refers to changing the state of an object or variable. It is a fundamental concept in programming, especially in languages that support mutable data types.
Mutation occurs when the value of an object or variable is modified after it has been initialized. This can involve changing the internal state of an object, reassigning a variable, or updating the contents of a data structure.
In the context of data structures such as lists, arrays, or dictionaries, mutation often involves modifying the elements or properties of the data structure. For example, adding or removing elements from a list, updating values in an array, or changing key-value pairs in a dictionary are all forms of mutation.
Mutation is a powerful concept in programming because it allows for dynamic changes to data, enabling programs to respond to changing conditions, user input, or external events. Without mutation, programs would be limited to static data and would lack the ability to adapt and evolve over time.
In functional programming paradigms, mutation is often minimized or avoided altogether. Instead, immutable data structures and pure functions are favored, which do not modify state and produce the same output for a given input. This approach helps avoid many common pitfalls associated with mutable state, such as race conditions, side effects, and unintended consequences.
my_list = [1, 2, 3]
my_list[0] = 10
print(my_list) # Output: [10, 2, 3]