helper

A helper refers to a person, object, or program that provides assistance. In general usage, a helper is someone who helps another person complete tasks, solve problems, or perform duties more efficiently. Human helpers include assistants, aides, caregivers, nurses' aides, teaching assistants, volunteers, and support staff. They may work in homes, schools, hospitals, offices, or community organizations, and their responsibilities range from administrative support and caregiving to tutoring and logistical coordination.

In computing, a helper is a lightweight component designed to perform a specialized, reusable task within a larger system. Helper functions, methods, and utilities encapsulate common operations such as string formatting, date handling, input validation, or data transformation. By isolating these tasks, software becomes more modular and easier to maintain.

In software design, helper objects or libraries may be stateless and provide interfaces used by other parts of the program without representing domain objects themselves.

In user interfaces and content creation, helper scripts or tools assist editors, designers, or end users, often running behind the scenes to streamline workflows.

Limitations and considerations include that overuse of helpers can hide complexity or obscure responsibilities; maintainers should document intent and scope. For human helpers, training, consent, and boundaries are important.

See also: assistant, aide, helper function, helper library.