What is the term for the process in which a value is allocated to a variable?

The term for the process in which a value is allocated to a variable is known as assignment. This is a fundamental concept in programming where a specific value is set or assigned to a variable, allowing it to store that information for future use. Assignment typically involves using an assignment operator (like '=' in many programming languages) which takes the value on the right-hand side and places it into the variable on the left-hand side.

This process is essential because it establishes a connection between the variable and the value it holds, enabling programmers to manipulate and use that data throughout their code. Understanding assignment is key to writing effective programs, as it allows for dynamic data handling and state management within applications.

In contrast, variable definition refers to the act of declaring a variable and specifying its type, while value declaration is not a widely recognized term in programming contexts. Memory allocation deals more with the allocation of storage in memory rather than associating values with variables.