What is the primary role of comments in programming code?

The primary role of comments in programming code is to assist developers with readability and maintenance. Comments are annotations in the code meant for humans to understand the thought process behind certain implementations, clarify complex logic, or provide explanations of what specific blocks of code are doing. This is especially important in larger projects or when working in teams, as it helps current and future developers quickly grasp the purpose and functionality of the code, making it easier to maintain and modify as needed.

While it's true that comments can have an indirect effect on execution speed by allowing developers to understand optimizations or improvements, they do not directly impact how quickly the code runs. Additionally, comments serve no functional purpose to the compiler, meaning they do not provide instructions or affect how the code is compiled, nor do they reduce file size in any meaningful way. Their main value lies in enhancing code clarity and ensuring that the logic and design choices are documented for reference.