rebinding

Rebinding is the reestablishment of a binding connection after it has been broken, or the reassignment of a binding in a system. It is used in several fields to describe either the act of a molecule re-attaching to a target or the remapping of controls, symbols, or resources to different entities.

In user interfaces and software, rebinding commonly refers to remapping input controls or shortcuts. Users can change which key or button invokes a given action, enabling customization, accessibility, and efficiency. Rebinding can be global or application-specific, and is often stored in configuration profiles. Conflicts can arise when multiple actions are bound to the same input, requiring conflict resolution.

In programming, binding describes the association of a name with a value, function, or object. Rebinding occurs when a variable or symbol is later assigned to a new value or when a binding is moved to a different scope or namespace. Dynamic languages emphasize rebinding behavior, while static languages may restrict it. An example: in Python, x = 5; x = 'hello' rebinds x to a new value.

In biophysics and pharmacology, rebinding refers to a ligand re-attaching to a receptor after dissociation. Rebinding can affect measured binding affinities and kinetics, particularly when diffusion is limited. Models of receptor-ligand rebinding inform drug design and the interpretation of kinetic experiments.