What is a common use of "comments" in programming?

The use of "comments" in programming is primarily to document and explain sections of code, thereby improving its readability. Comments serve as annotations that allow programmers to provide context or clarification about what specific code is doing, why it was written that way, or any important considerations related to that particular section of code. This makes it easier for others (or even the original author at a later time) to understand the logic and functionality implemented, facilitating maintenance and collaboration.

While comments can help in conveying information, they do not influence the execution speed of the code, nor do they play a role in specifying variables or running programs in debug mode. Their main purpose is to enhance clarity without affecting how the program operates. Therefore, their role in boosting code readability and understanding is crucial in programming practices.