Final answer:
Defining constants is a good programming practice to maintain and improve code readability and reliability. Constants are values that do not change, and using them ensures that important values are not accidentally modified.
Step-by-step explanation:
It's generally considered a good practice to define constants in programming. Constants are values that do not change throughout the execution of a program. Using constants can result in more maintainable and readable code. For example, instead of using a literal value like 3.14 for pi throughout your program, you can define a constant such as PI with a value of 3.14. Every time you need to use the value of pi, you refer to the constant PI. This way, if the value of pi needs to be updated or changed, you only have to update it in one place.
Another reason to use constants is to prevent the alteration of values that are critical to the operation of the program. Declaring a piece of data as a constant signals to other developers that this value should not be modified. In summary, defining constants aids in creating clear, modifiable, and reliable code.