What are variables in programming?

Variables in programming are fundamentally about storage locations in memory where data can be held and manipulated during program execution. They serve as labeled memory spaces that enable a programmer to store values, which can be retrieved and modified throughout the program's lifecycle.

When you declare a variable, you are essentially creating a name that points to a specific memory address where the data is stored. This allows for dynamic data handling where you can change the value of the variable as your program runs, enabling more flexible code that can adapt to different situations or inputs.

The concept of variables is contrasted with constants, which do not change, and with blocks of code (such as functions), which execute specific tasks but do not store data in the way that variables do. Additionally, syntax rules are related to how programming languages define the structure of code, which does not pertain directly to the concept of variables themselves.