mutáveis

Mutable is a term used in computer programming to describe objects whose state can be modified after they are created. This means that the values stored within a mutable object can be changed without creating a new object. In contrast, immutable objects, once created, cannot have their state altered.

The concept of mutability is fundamental to how data is handled in many programming languages. For instance, in Python, lists are mutable. You can add, remove, or change elements in a list, and these modifications affect the original list object directly. Strings in Python, however, are immutable. If you perform an operation that appears to change a string, you are actually creating a new string object with the modified content.

Understanding mutability is crucial for writing efficient and predictable code. Mutable objects can be more memory-efficient when modifications are frequent, as they avoid the overhead of creating new objects. However, they can also lead to unexpected side effects if multiple parts of a program share references to the same mutable object and one part modifies it without the others being aware. Immutability, on the other hand, guarantees that an object's state will not change, simplifying reasoning about program behavior and making it safer to share data. Many programming paradigms, particularly functional programming, favor immutability for its benefits in concurrency and predictability.