comment out

programming To surround a section of code with comment

delimiters or to prefix every line in the section with a

comment marker. This prevents it from being compiled or

interpreted. It is often done to temporarily disable the

code, e.g. during debugging or when the code is redundant or

obsolete, but is being left in the source to make the intent

of the active code clearer.

The word "comment" is sometimes replaced with whatever

syntax is used to mark comments in the language in question,

e.g. "hash out" (shell script, Perl), "REM out" (BASIC),

etc.

Compare condition out.

[Jargon File]

(1998-04-28)