A coda is a musical element at the end of a song or a composition that brings the whole piece to an end). It is a passage that concludes a piece and can be as simple as a few measures or as complex as an entire section). The length of a coda can vary greatly, spanning from just a few bars at the end of a song to an entire longer section that brings the song or musical composition to a close. A coda can greatly influence how strong of an effect a song or composition has on the listener, as it is often the climax of the entire piece.

The term "coda" comes from the Italian word for "tail"). In music notation, the coda symbol, which resembles a set of crosshairs, is used as a navigation marker, similar to the dal segno sign). It is used where the exit from a repeated section is within that section rather than at the end). The instruction "To Coda" indicates that, upon reaching that point during the final repetition, the performer is to jump immediately to the separate section headed with the coda symbol).

In popular music, a coda is sometimes referred to as an "outro". In jazz, modern church music, and barbershop arranging, it is commonly called a "tag". Codettas, which mean "little tail," are less extensive than the larger coda and are used to end a single section of a song rather than the entire musical piece.