Camel case is a naming convention in which the first letter of each word in a compound term is capitalized to make multi-word identifiers easier to read, with the exception of the very first letter which may be either upper or lower case. This practice is commonly used in programming and coding for variables, functions, and other identifiers. Camel case helps in distinguishing concatenated words within identifiers without the need for spaces or underscores.

There are two main types of camel case:

1. Lower camel case (or camelCase): The first letter of the first word is lowercase, but the first letter of each subsequent word is uppercase. Lower camel case is often used for naming variables and functions. For example, myVariableName or calculateTotalWidth.
2. Upper camel case (or PascalCase): The first letter of each word is capitalized, including the first word. Upper camel case is commonly used for naming classes and interfaces. For example, MyClassName or ProductInterface.

Camel case is favored in many programming languages and frameworks due to its readability and efficiency in distinguishing separate words within identifiers without using additional characters. The choice between lower camel case and upper camel case often depends on the specific conventions of the programming language being used, as well as the context (e.g., variables vs. classes). Adopting consistent naming conventions, such as camel case, across a codebase improves the clarity and maintainability of the code.