Lines Of Code

What Does Lines Of Code Mean?

The phrase “lines of code” (LOC) is a metric generally used to evaluate a software program or codebase according to its size. It is a general identifier taken by adding up the number of lines of code used to write a program. LOC is used in various ways to assess a project, and there is a debate on how effective this measurement is.

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Techopedia Explains Lines Of Code

Lines of code also has some variations such as “source lines of code” (SLOC), which is also used to enumerate a codebase. Part of the use of LOC involves a “philosophy of code,” that is, whether it is better to have a large codebase or a small one, or whether it is better to have created x lines of code than to have cut x lines of code from a program. LOC is often used in these kinds of arguments, where developers and other related personnel talk about whether “bigger is better” or whether a software codebase should “go on a diet.”

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…