In functional programming, what is a “side effect”?
a) A function that returns a value
b) A change in the system’s state or interaction with the outside world during function execution
c) A function with no return value
d) A function that never terminates
Answer:
b) A change in the system’s state or interaction with the outside world during function execution
Explanation:
A side effect occurs when a function modifies some state or interacts with the outside world, such as updating a global variable or performing I/O, which is discouraged in functional programming.