# Magic Strings

Magic strings are `String` values that are specified directly within application code that have an impact on the application’s behaviour. Frequently, such strings will end up being duplicated within the code.

## Avoid hard-coded Strings

```
// bad 

function Boolean isClosed(Opportunity deal) {
    if (deal.StageName == 'Closed') {
        return true;
    }
    return false;
}
```

## Best practice

Create a class which contains all the `String` values for a given pick list

```
public class OpportunityStageNames {
    public static final String New_x = 'New';
    public static final String Discovery = 'Discovery';
    public static final String Proposal = 'Proposal';
    public static final String Closed = 'Closed';
}
```

And then used this class to access the single instance of the `String` value.

```
// good

function Boolean isClosed(Opportunity deal) {
    if (deal.StageName == OpportunityStageNames.Closed) {
        return true;
    }
    return false;
}
```