side-effect

1 definition found

side-effect - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  side-effect
  
     A language construct that modifies the state of the system.
     The most common side-effects are assignment, input and
     output.  A language without side-effects is
     purely-functional - execution consists of the evaluation of
     an expression and all subexpressions are referentially transparent
     .
  
     (1995-02-16)