What does code comment mean in software engineering?

A code comment is explanatory text written within source code that helps developers understand what the code does or why it was written that way. Computers ignore comments when running the program, so they exist purely for human readers.

How do you use code comment in a sentence at work?

You typically say 'Add a code comment' or 'Write code comments' when discussing documentation. Example: 'Please add a code comment explaining this algorithm before the pull request review.'

Is code comment formal or informal?

Code comment is neutral in formality. It is used in both casual team conversations and formal documentation standards. The term itself is neither formal nor casual.

What is the difference between code comments and documentation?

Code comments are short explanations written directly in the source code file. Documentation is broader and can include separate files, README documents, and API guides that explain the entire project or system.

Should every line of code have a code comment?

No. Good code comments explain complex logic, design decisions, and non-obvious reasoning. Simple, self-explanatory code should not have comments on every line, as this creates clutter and is harder to maintain.

code comment meaning in tech — Speak Tech English

Commonness	5/5
Versatility	4/5
Formality	CasualFormalNeutral
Spoken ↔ Written	SpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ Diplomatic	DirectDiplomaticDirect
Region	US and UK

Say it like this

✓Add a code comment explaining this function

✓This section needs better code comments

✓Code comments make maintenance easier

✓Write code comments for future developers

Real examples

in a code review

"The code works, but please add a code comment to explain why you are using this specific algorithm instead of the simpler approach."

in a standup

"I spent two hours yesterday writing code comments for the payment module to make it clearer for the next person who maintains it."

in a team meeting

"Our coding standards now require a code comment for any loop or conditional that is not immediately obvious."

in a pull request

"Good code comments here, but remember they should explain the why, not just repeat what the code does."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Code comment refers to explanatory text in source code, not feedback on code during review. Do not confuse with verbal code review comments.

✕We need to code comment this function.

✓We need to add code comments to this function.— Code comments are added to code, not applied as a verb. Use add with code comments.

✕This code comment says what the code does.

✓This code comment explains why we chose this approach.— Good code comments explain the reasoning and context, not just restate obvious code logic.

✕All code comments are required.

✓Code comments are required for complex or non-obvious logic.— Code comments should be used selectively for clarity, not everywhere, which creates clutter.

Other forms

noun

code comment

"Every code comment in this file should explain the reasoning behind the implementation."

noun

code comments

"Good code comments make the codebase easier to maintain and understand."

Often used with

add a code commentUsed when inserting explanatory text into code

write code commentsThe general action of creating comments in code

clear code commentsComments that are easy to understand and well-written

code comment documentationThe practice of using comments to document code functionality

meaningful code commentsComments that provide real value and explanation

Similar words

commentShorter and more general; code comment is more specific to programming

inline commentA comment placed within code lines, a specific type of code comment

documentationBroader term covering all explanatory text, including comments outside the code

Opposites

code without commentsundocumented code

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Pick the most natural phrasing

1. Your teammate wrote complex code. What do you ask them to do?

Can you add code comments to explain this logic?Can you code comment this logic?Can you make code comments for this?Can you code comment to this?

Complete the sentence

2. We should _______ to explain why we use this caching strategy.

Spot the mistake

3. Which sentence uses code comment correctly?

Add a code comment that explains the purpose of this function.This code comment describes what every line of code does.We code commented the database query.Good code comments should be code commented regularly.

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite this using code comment: 'We wrote explanatory text in our code so other developers understand it better.'

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "code comment" in a standup this week?

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