What are locations in memory that can hold data called?

Locations in memory that can hold data are known as variables. Variables are fundamental constructs in programming that allow developers to allocate a space in the memory for storing data which can be changed or manipulated during the execution of a program. This is essential for any application, as it enables dynamic data handling.

When a variable is declared, it is assigned a specific type, which defines the kind of data it can hold (for example, integers, strings, or objects). Unlike constants, which are fixed values and cannot be altered once defined, variables are versatile and can be updated or modified throughout the program's lifetime.

Understanding how variables operate is crucial for building applications, as they facilitate data storage and manipulation, which are foundational operations in programming. In contrast, arrays are collections of variables, constants remain unchanged, and functions represent blocks of code that execute certain tasks rather than serve as direct storage for data.