[1] : The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

side-effect
     
        a language construct that modifies the state of the system.
        the most common side-effects are assignment, input and
        output.  a language without side-effects is
        purely-functional - execution consists of the evaluation of
        an expression and all subexpressions are referentially
        transparent.
     
        1995-02-16
     
     
see also:
assignment purely-functional referentially transparent 

Side-Effect >> S Words
Side-Effect, definition of term: Side-Effect
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