The concept of parameters in programming refers to variables or constants that a program needs to have passed in from somewhere else rather than being defined or looked up within the code itself. This allows for flexibility and reusability in coding, as well as making it easier to pass values to functions or commands from external sources such as command lines or other programs. Parameters can be used with optional and required parameters, and their use can make complex operations easier to utilize, but also makes troubleshooting more challenging if the values are not properly passed or generated. The concept of parameters is widely supported in most programming languages, and understanding how to use them effectively is crucial for building robust and maintainable code.