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Redundant code

unnecesary source code or compiled code in a computer program which cannot affect its results

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Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionSep 1, 2026
Entity authorityQ1251793
Source-derived summary

In computer programming, redundant code is source code or compiled code that is unnecessary. Code that can be removed without affecting its desired behavior is redundant.

Categories

Notable categories of redundant code include:

Recomputing

Calculating again a value that has previously been calculated and is still available.

Dead code

Code that is executed but has no external effect (i.e., does not change the output produced by a program).

Unreachable code

Code that is never executed (also called dead code).

NOP padding

A NOP instruction might be considered redundant if it is for padding. But if the NOP is required for proper functionality, then it is not redundant.

Unused identifier

Something declared, but never referenced, is a redundant declaration.

Examples

In the following C code, the second x * 2 expression is redundant code. Line 2 can be removed, or alternatively, line 3 can be changed to return y;.

Editorial summary

The public source identifies “Redundant code” as unnecesary source code or compiled code in a computer program which cannot affect its results. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Redundant, code and unnecesary.

Editorial reviewA practical starting point whose main value is the path it opens into stronger specialist and primary sources. The current 148-word lead offers orientation but no explicit four-digit date, so chronology should not be assumed. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. Its value is orientation rather than verdict, with Redundant, code and unnecesary providing the first useful test.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Redundant code”, the useful work is to connect “unnecesary source code or compiled code in a computer program which cannot affect its results” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.

Evidence profile

Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 1, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1251793. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.

Critical limits

Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.

Best used for
  • Subject orientation
  • Search vocabulary
  • Locating named sources
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The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.

Three-step research path

  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “Redundant code”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow Redundant code primary sources, Redundant code archive and Redundant research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

  1. Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Redundant code”?
  2. What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
  3. Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from Redundant code” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.