Gotos

/ˈɡoʊtɑːz/ noun

Definition

Plural of goto; in programming, instructions that jump execution to a different location in code (now often considered poor practice).

Etymology

From 'go to' (an instruction in early programming languages). The term originated with assembly language and BASIC, where 'GOTO' was a fundamental control structure.

Kelly Says

Gotos were programming's first love and biggest regret—they made early code jump around unpredictably, creating spaghetti-like tangles. Modern programmers actively avoid them, making goto the word of computer science's cautionary tale.

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